Soldier surprises daughter graduating from Florida high school

MIAMI- A South Florida high schooler received a graduation gift to remember.

Sergeant Jose Garcia appeared in person to see his daughter, Samantha, pick up her diploma from Miami Killian Senior High School.

The last time the two saw each other was when Samantha was a freshman.

“It’s hard, you know, always having an absent parent, but you just got to stay strong. I know he’s there, just not physically there,” said Samantha Garcia.

Sgt. Garcia has served numerous deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has only been able to return home twice over the last eight years.

He’s now stationed in neighboring Georgia.