Riley had a deadline. It was a good deadline, but still, he had to get his Private Pilot training completed in a defined time frame. He is headed to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and needed to have his PPL certificate in hand before he begins his college career. Note that a PPL is not a prerequisite for ERAU but it can certainly give you a leg up on your progression through the flight training there.
With the entire Horizon team behind him, and with a hurricane on the way, Riley was able to complete his training with a successful checkride! Congratulations and best of luck at ERAU!