In a graduating class of only 45 students, having five classmates born within six days of one another was unusual enough.

The fact that their story began before they were even born makes it better.

Their mothers were friends, some close enough to be in one another’s weddings. In September 1956, the expectant mothers found themselves at Orange Memorial Hospital in Orlando, Florida, at the same time, waiting for five babies who would grow up together, graduate together and continue marking milestone birthdays together for decades.

The September Five began arriving Sept. 17.

Laura was first, born Sept. 17. Susan Johnson Graham followed Sept. 18, Byron Carter on Sept. 20, and Bob Hughes and Will Way both arrived Sept. 23.

Four of the five lived in the same neighborhood from their early childhood years through high school graduation. Three — Laura, Susan and Byron — were together as far back as kindergarten.

Eventually, all five attended the same high school and graduated together as part of a class of just 45.

Their parents made sure their 16th birthdays did not pass quietly.

For their Sweet 16, the parents threw a huge joint birthday party at the Country Club of Orlando. About 200 people attended, and there was even a live band.

Fourteen years later, the parents did it again.

The five celebrated their 30th birthdays with another large party at the same country club. Laura and her husband, Walt, had just returned from three years in Germany with their daughters and made it back in time for the celebration.

1986 ; 30th birthday party with our parents

That night, however, the parents issued a good-natured announcement: From then on, the birthday group was on its own.

Apparently, the five weren’t quite as good at party planning as their parents had been.

Although four remained in Orlando, no one managed to organize another celebration on the scale of those Sweet 16 and 30th birthday parties. Still, the connection remained.

A photograph from around their 40th birthdays shows the group gathering at what appears to have been the club pool, this time with spouses and children joining the celebration.

Life moved on. Families grew. Careers and moves took them in different directions.

And life also brought challenges.

Bob Hughes was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when he was about 31. The disease eventually required him to use a wheelchair, but photographs through the years show him still among the friends whose lives had been intertwined with his since childhood.

In 2016, when the group was 60, an informal gathering with a number of high school friends provided another opportunity for a photograph. Bob, Will, Laura and Byron posed together; Susan was unable to attend.

60th: Bob in chair, Will, Laura, Byron (Susan unable to attend)

Then came their 50th high school reunion in 2024.

There they were again — Bob, Will, Byron, Laura and Susan — five classmates approaching their 68th birthdays and still connected nearly seven decades after their mothers waited together for their births in an Orlando hospital.

2024 50th High School Reunion (about to be 60): Bob in chair, Will, Byron, Laura, Susan

This September was supposed to mark another milestone.

They were turning 70.

But this birthday would be different.

Bob recently died, just before reaching the birthday he had shared with Will for 69 years. His funeral service was scheduled for the day after what would have been his 70th birthday.

The September Five had become four.

Their story, however, remains remarkable: five babies born within six days, raised among families already connected by friendship, growing up in the same neighborhood and schools, graduating in a class of only 45 and returning to one another through Sweet 16, 30th, 40th, 60th and reunion celebrations.

Their parents could never have known, while waiting for those babies to arrive in September 1956, just how long the friendship they had begun would last.

Seventy years later, it still does.

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