There was an unexpected surprise guest at Thursday’s Rancho Bernardo High School graduation.
“They hid me behind a couple rows of parents,” Army Master Sergeant Derrick Morris said.
He was there, hiding under a yellow sweater in the bleachers, to surprise his daughter, Camille Morris, at her graduation.
“I flew in late Tuesday night and nobody knew I was here,” Derrick Morris said.
Except the principal.
“This had been about nine months in the making. In October I reached out to the principal, letting him know who I was and what I wanted to do. We’ve been working up a plan."
The principal called Camille Morris out of her seat and said her dad was there.
Dad and daughter ran towards each other and embraced in a hug.
“It was breathtaking and so surreal,” Camille Morris said.
“That was a whole year of emotions exploded at once, so it’s unbeatable,” Derrick Morris said.
Derrick Morris took leave from his deployment in Kuwait.
“If I had to rank one of the best feelings of my life, this would rank very high,” Derrick Morris said.
“Definitely one of the best moments of my life as well, to have my daddy. I’m such a daddy’s girl too, so,” Camille Morris said.
“It was hard fighting back the tears. It really was, and I’m just astonished, I’m amazed. It’s spectacular,” Derrick Morris said.
Daughter and dad have a short time together before he has to head back to Kuwait.
