Staff Sgt Markita James surprised her Army veteran mother Debra Cooper on her birthday and graduation day from Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia.
According to Daily Mail, the school helped to create this amazing reunion between mother and daughter to honor all military veterans at the school.
“Brenau is proud of its active military students, its veterans and the families of both,” the university’s President Ed Schrader said during the commencement ceremony on Saturday. “We have lots of folks who are here today who are veterans or are even on active duty, but I’d like to especially recognize Debra Cooper.”
Then came the surprise of her life.
Cooper turned around and there her daughter was holding a bouquet of flowers for her mom’s special day. James said her mother had also served in the Army from 1990s until around 2000 and been a huge inspiration to her and her brother.
‘Getting this degree is a huge accomplishment for her,’ James said. ‘She’s been through a lot. She’s a single mother of two, but she is so strong. I’m so proud of her.’