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Father flew 17 hours from Navy post to surprise son at graduation

David Castillo flew 17 hours from his Navy post to see his son graduate.

SAN ANTONIO — A San Antonio ISD student was surprised to see that his father, who is currently serving in the U.S. Navy, flew many hours to catch his graduation last week. 

David Castillo flew 17 hours from his Navy post in the South China Sea to see his son, David Randy Castillo, graduate from Brackenridge High School.

"I'm glad to be here and be a part of his first steps in life," the father said. "I just wanted to be here to support my son."

David Randy Castillo had no idea his dad had made the trip all the way back to San Antonio for his big day. 

In a video posted by SAISD, the graduate was asked who was in attendance to watch him walk the stage, to which he replied: "My family is coming right now, but my aunt and brother is here." 

He was then asked a question regarding his dad, who is seen standing just a few feet behind him. 

"Sadly, he's not here," David Randy Castillo said moments before the surprise. "He's in the Navy and overseas right now."

He was then told to turn around, and to his surprise, there was his father. Tears began flow as the crowd cheered. 

"I am beyond happy right now," the younger David Castillo said as he wiped tears from his eyes.

It was a beautiful moment for the family and the community. You can watch the emotional video below:

Get out your tissues. We couldn’t hold back our tears when our Brackenridge High School, SAISD graduate was surprised by his dad who came home from his Navy post in the South China Sea to watch him walk the stage. 💜 Saquen sus pañuelos desechables. No pudimos contener las lágrimas cuando nuestro graduado de Brackenridge High School fue sorprendido por su padre, quien regresó a casa de su puesto de la Armada en el Mar de China para verlo graduarse. 💜 https://www.tiktok.com/@satxisd/video/7377825262244826410 #SAISDFamilia #Graduation2024 #Classof2024

Posted by San Antonio ISD on Wednesday, June 12, 2024

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