Soldier Surprises His Sister At Her College Graduation For Tearful Reunion

While the 23-year-old walked across the stage at Central Michigan University’s commencement ceremony on Saturday, the school’s president read a letter sent by her brother, LaDaryl Lyte, who was deployed for almost a year with the U.S. Army Reserve, according to Good Morning America.

“Oh, God,” she said with a big smile on her face, according to People.

Unaware that her brother was in the building, she listened to the school’s president read her brother’s letter praising her accomplishments.

“I want you to tell my sister how proud I am, how gracious she is, how superlative she is, and I know that she is going to do amazing things in her life,” the letter read, according to GMA. “She is one in a million with a special talent of knowing just how to move forward.”

“And the letter goes on and on and on, so let me do this, LaDyra, talk to him about it,” the school president continued as the crowd erupted in cheers and clapping.

The video shows LaDrya becoming visibly emotional when she sees her brother walk onstage.

Within minutes, their father runs up behind his son, lifts his son off the ground, and embraces him with a hug.

LaDaryl told GMA that it was imperative for him to attend his sister’s college graduation since he had to miss her high school ceremony due to his basic training requirement.

He contacted her university to request extra tickets and the school administration suggested he make a surprise entrance without LaDrya or their family knowing.

“They had me show up to the graduation two hours early so they could hide me upstairs so my family wouldn’t see me,” LaDaryl told GMA. “The night before I couldn’t even sleep because I was nervous.”

“For a moment I thought I’m dreaming,” LaDyra, who earned a degree in fashion merchandising and design, said, according to GMA.