Injured DPS trooper leaves hospital to see daughter's play
LEAGUE CITY, TX (KTRK) -- As students took the stage for the closing night of Macbeth, one young actor was especially glad to see her father in the audience Saturday night.
Victoria Blackburn is a junior at Clear Creek High School. She plays the role of Banquo.
She had her own brush with tragedy in real life, something more horrible than any play. Her father, DPS Trooper Chad Blackburn, was almost killed last month by a drunk driver.
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"I was nervous of the unknown, and then when I knew what had happened and what was going to happen," Victoria said. "I knew it was nothing that couldn't be fixed."
Trooper Blackburn spent the last month in the hospital, but doctors made an exception for this one special night. He arrived at Clear Creek High School in a private ambulance, with flowers in hand for his daughter.
"My daughter Victoria has worked so hard, not only in this production but in her theatre class for several years now," Blackburn said. "And I did not want to miss something that she's worked so hard to accomplish."
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Victoria said she will be keeping an eye out for her dad in the audience.
"I want to put on a really amazing show for him," Victoria said.
Blackburn said he'll know when his daughter sees him.
"She will not break her character," Blackburn said, "She's very professional. She will look at me, and that's good because I know what that means. That means, 'Hello."
Blackburn is grateful for these moments more than ever before, from Act I all the way to the end.
