Navy dad who was supposed to be overseas travels 17 hours to surprise son at high school graduation
The son had no clue that his dad, who was stationed at a Navy post overseas, was standing right behind him on the most important day of his life.
Kids often desire to have their parents cheering for them, especially on some of the vital days of their lives, like graduation. One dad, who works for the U.S. Navy, recently made the headlines for making his son's graduation day quite memorable. David Castillo flew 17 hours across the world to surprise his son during his graduation in Texas. The teen's priceless reaction spoke volumes. This heartwarming moment shared by San Antonio ISD (@satxisd) on TikTok has touched many hearts online.
As the video began, the dad could be seen waiting in the school's hallway with the school staff while organizing the surprise. Cut to the auditorium where the graduation ceremony was taking place, the son, David Randy Castillo, was being interviewed about his feelings on his big day. On completing his education at the Brackenridge High School in San Antonio, Texas, the boy said, "It's very, very exciting today. I can't believe I'm in all the way this through." Whereas, the dad was equally excited to surprise his son. "I'm here to surprise my son. He's glad to be here and be a part of something. You know, his first steps in life. So, just wanted to be here to support my son," the dad said.
It turns out, the Navy official was stationed on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, which was operating in the South China Sea. But determined to make it to his son's graduation, the dad flew to Singapore, from where he traveled to the U.S. But the teen had no idea his dad was going to show up. While his aunt and brother were already there, he was expecting his other family members soon. When asked about his dad, he said, "He's not here. He's in the Navy and overseas right now." That's when the interviewer asked the high schooler to look behind him. He instantly broke into tears after seeing his dad. With a mix of astonishment and joy, the boy shared a heartfelt hug with his dad. "I am beyond happy right now," the teen exclaimed.
Over 410K views came in for this wholesome video. People were moved by the dad-son reunion. "This kid will never forget this day ever," said @bigtime045. "This made me cry. Happy, the dad could be here for his son. Thank you, Dad, for your service to our country," noted @user2144558269671. "As a retired Navy veteran, it's a wonderful feeling to be there for your family," added @latoska.
@satxisd Military surprise homecoming at the Brackenridge HS graduation! 💜🌟🇺🇸 ¡Sorpresa regreso a casa militar en la graduación de Brackenridge HS! 💜🌟🇺🇸 @US NAVY OFFICIAL @NAVY PRODUCTION #militarytiktok #militarysurprise #surprise #militaryhomecoming #welcomeback #welcomehome #family #familia #joinsaisd #saisdproud #saisdfamilia #sanantonioisd #saisd #satx #sanantonio #sanantoniotx #sanantoniotexas #school #escuela #escuelatiktok #student #students #estudiante #estudiantes #learn #learning #aprender #parati #fyp #fypシ #highschool #highschoolgraduation #highschoolgrad #highschoolgraduate #pompandcircumstance #walkthestage #graduation #commencement #capandgown #schoolhistory #history #graduacion #memories #memoriesbringback #makingmemories #memoriesareforever ♬ original sound - A
On a similar note, an exchange student got a jaw-dropping graduation surprise from his hosts in a viral video. This moment was shared by the host Jordan Aleece (@jordanaleece) on TikTok and the boy's priceless reaction is a heartening sight. "Surprising our exchange student with his family a day before his graduation," the text overlay read. When the boy entered a restaurant, his dad suddenly rose from the table and the boy was absolutely stunned. Seconds later, he was surprised to see his mom too. The trio hugged each other after being separated for a long time.
You can follow San Antonio ISD (@satxisd) on TikTok for more high school graduation and athletics content.
Share on Facebook
