Video: Henry Sibley Student's Father, Deployed, Returns for Walk Across Stage, Overjoyed

All graduating high school students who walk across the stage receive a diploma and a handshake. For one Henry Sibley High School student, an extra gift was waiting for her at the end of the receiving line—her father.

Sibley grad Jennie Ramsahai Torres' dad, Army Staff Sgt. Mckenzie Ramsahai, has been deployed in the Dominican Republic since February. He flew home to surprise his daughter on her graduation day June 5.

Jennie said she "had no idea" that he would be there on her big day.

Sibley Associate Principal Pat Johnson said she received a phone message a week before graduation, but the connection was so poor that she couldn’t make out which student it concerned. Johnson made repeated attempts to make contact with her caller, spoke with school counselors to help identify which student it might be, and had others listen to the message to see if they could make out the names.

Finally she was able to contact Mckenzie by phone to plan the surprise.

“If you can make it happen, it’s a priority,” said Johnson of her efforts.

She then took it upon herself to protect the surprise. She kept it “so hush-hush that I forgot to tell the readers (at the ceremony).”

After the ceremony, Jennie's brother, eighth-grader Aaron, said with a huge grin that it was "kinda surprising" to see his dad on stage.

Mckenzie, carrying a bouquet of flowers, stood to the side of the ceremony out of view until Jennie's name was called. Then, he walked up to meet her on stage after she received her diploma.

Mckenzie swept his daughter up in a big hug, walked her down the risers, then waited patiently till the end of the ceremony to visit with his family once again.

He said it was worth the arm-twisting it took to come home, if even for a short while. "I'm very proud. She looked so beautiful crossing the stage."