When military mom Debra Cooper sat down at her graduation ceremony in Georgia, she had no idea she would be receiving a lot more than a diploma for a Master of Occupational Therapy degree.

In the video below, university President Ed Schrader gives his welcoming remarks at the ceremony with a special ‘thank you’ to all the veterans, giving special recognition to Cooper, who served in the U.S. Army before pursuing this new career.

Cooper thought her daughter, Staff Sgt. Markita James of Dublin, Georgia, was currently serving in Afghanistan. But as Schrader continues his speech, he says “Sgt. James is not in Afghanistan. She is here so that she could be with her mother at graduation.”

Cooper frantically turned around, just to see her daughter standing behind her. Her jaw dropped.

“Oh my God. Oh my God,” she said. The two embraced, and tears and hugs were shared in a touching moment that is worth sharing.

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