A high school senior who cried on her way to graduation because
her father, a deployed member of the U.S. Air Force....
would not be there, got the surprise of her life after receiving her diploma.
her father, a deployed member of the U.S. Air Force....
would not be there, got the surprise of her life after receiving her diploma.
Taylor Crafton, 18, of Grand Forks, N.D., had no idea what to expect Sunday
when the principal of Grand Forks Central High School called her back up
to the stage at the end of graduation.
when the principal of Grand Forks Central High School called her back up
to the stage at the end of graduation.
In the audience, her mother, Paige Crafton, says she was a little upset that the
principal would call out her daughter, whom everyone knew was upset that
her father was missing another one of her senior year moments since being
deployed to Cuba in January.
principal would call out her daughter, whom everyone knew was upset that
her father was missing another one of her senior year moments since being
deployed to Cuba in January.
"I thought, 'Why is he pulling her up in front of all her classmates, knowing
that her dad is deployed and it's so emotional?'" Paige Crafton told ABC News.
"Taylor is up there just bawling her eyes out in front of her class."
that her dad is deployed and it's so emotional?'" Paige Crafton told ABC News.
"Taylor is up there just bawling her eyes out in front of her class."
Watching it all from the audience with the Crafton family was a cardboard
cut-out of Taylor's dad, Chief Master Sergeant Chris Crafton, that Taylor
had named "Flat Daddy" and carried with her to prom and other
senior year milestones.
cut-out of Taylor's dad, Chief Master Sergeant Chris Crafton, that Taylor
had named "Flat Daddy" and carried with her to prom and other
senior year milestones.
At this milestone, however, "Flat Daddy" was put aside when Sgt.
Crafton himself rushed onto the graduation stage to surprise his daughter.
Crafton himself rushed onto the graduation stage to surprise his daughter.
"We had 'Flat Daddy' there at graduation and that's all that we knew was
going to happen until we saw him there," said Paige Crafton,
an Air Force vet herself who had no clue of her husband's surprise.
going to happen until we saw him there," said Paige Crafton,
an Air Force vet herself who had no clue of her husband's surprise.
Sgt. Crafton, who could not be reached today by ABC News,
had managed to get permission from his superiors to fly home for
the graduation well ahead of his planned return from deployment in August.
had managed to get permission from his superiors to fly home for
the graduation well ahead of his planned return from deployment in August.
Crafton even flew over his daughter's graduation party on his way home
Friday night and spoke to her right before she arrived at graduation,
while never revealing his surprise.
Friday night and spoke to her right before she arrived at graduation,
while never revealing his surprise.
"We live in the flight path and he said he could see the kids at the party
at our house," Crafton said. "He hid out in a hotel until the graduation."
at our house," Crafton said. "He hid out in a hotel until the graduation."
Sgt. Crafton, a 28-year Air Force veteran who has been on nine deployments
and seen his family move from Virginia to Georgia to Italy until settling
in North Dakota six years ago, will be home with his family
on leave until Thursday.
and seen his family move from Virginia to Georgia to Italy until settling
in North Dakota six years ago, will be home with his family
on leave until Thursday.
He will then fly back to Cuba until he can return home in August and
send his daughter on her next big adventure: studying interior design at the
Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga.
send his daughter on her next big adventure: studying interior design at the
Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga.
"Now that the whole thing is over, we're all just kind of still in shock that
the military let it happen and so thankful that he was here to celebrate
Taylor's big day," Crafton said.
the military let it happen and so thankful that he was here to celebrate
Taylor's big day," Crafton said.
"She and her dad are very close and she was pretty devastated when he
was deployed," she said. "It's been a roller coaster the past few months.
was deployed," she said. "It's been a roller coaster the past few months.
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου