Military Dad Surprises Daughter at Graduation

A teenager was given a double dose of good news at her high school graduation when her military dad surprised her on stage after six months serving overseas. After Natalie Villafana, 18, received a congratulatory handshake from her principal, she suddenly put that same hand to her mouth in disbelief when she noticed her father crossing the stage opposite her. Natalie's dad, MSgt. Samuel Villafana, 36, serves with the U.S. Marine Corps and having left for his seventh overseas deployment in January 2022 he wasn’t expected to return until July or August. But having arrived back in the U.S. two days before Natalie's graduation, which took place on June 2, Samuel started to plan the surprise with his wife, Elizabeth, 36, and the school's director.

Keywords