U.S. Marine surprises daughter at Labay Middle School after 11 months abroad

HOUSTON -- United States Marine Corps Major Paulina Rojas enjoyed an early Veterans Day celebration on Monday by surprising her daughter, Labay Middle School seventh-grade student Francis Garza, at the school following an 11-month deployment.

The surprise visit was arranged by a family friend of Garza's and Labay Principal Dr. Patty Mooney, who invited students from Anna Coronado's class to the school library to create "thank you" posters for veterans.

While they worked, Mooney announced she would bring in a visitor to assist them with the project, and Major Rojas entered the library from an adjacent room to set up the emotional embrace between mother and daughter.

"I'm ecstatic, still," Major Rojas said after the reunion. "I've been wanting to do this for quite some time. It's something that's long overdue."

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