Military dad surprises his Killian high school graduate

Miami Herald ^ | June 1, 2015 | By Christina Veiga

[Brad from Tennessee]

On tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Army Staff Sgt. Jose Garcia missed his oldest daughter’s high school graduation.

Stationed in Germany, an ocean away from his family in west Miami-Dade County, he watched his son accept his diploma through a live stream on the Internet.

This time, Garcia wanted it to be different. With his youngest set to graduate from Miami Killian Senior High on Monday, it was his last chance to watch one of his children graduate from high school.

He was determined to give his daughter, Samantha, “something to remember.”

“She’s the baby of the house,” he said. “I know deep inside, she wants me to be here.”

On Monday, Garcia watched his baby graduate. He surprised his 17-year-old daughter after being apart for four years — her entire high school career. . .

[Jet Jaguar]

Active Duty ping.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Nice.

I was really hoping for a video!

[Cen-Tejas]

There is a vid at the link.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Thanks. It wouldn’t load at work and it loaded like crap at home.

[Rebelbase]

Killian High School. Close to my old stomping grounds in South Miami.

Dated a knockout redhead who was a student there. At the time she was the doppelganger of the gal on the Cars Candy-O album.

[Shimmer1]

I understand that this is supposed to be a feel good story, but all I could see is a man who hadn't come home in FOUR YEARS. Who had not come home for his other children's graduation, weren't they important?
He gets a month off every year, why hadn't he seen his kids in four years?????

[Brad from Tennessee]

Alberto Vargas