Military Airman Surprises Sister at College Graduation

When it was time for Amaya Linsey to walk across the stage at her graduation from the University of Tennessee, she had one thing in mind.

“I was mainly focused on my feet because, um there is a ramp. So I was like, um, I'm not gonna fall across the stage on my graduation,” Linsey told WVLT.

Linsey didn’t notice that her brother,  Airman First Class Jerald Linsey Jr. was standing at the end of the ramp. It would be the first time she’d seen him in a year.

"I actually didn't notice him because I was looking at my feet but he called my name and then I looked up at him and I feel like I doubled back too. I was shocked, I covered my face and I instantly start crying and then I finally walked off the stage to him," she said.

The last time the siblings, who are from Tennessee, saw each other was on Christmas Eve, 2017. Jerald has been stationed at Fort Minot, North Dakota.

It took Jerald a little maneuvering to keep his surprise a secret-- especially since he’d originally told his sister he wouldn’t be able to make attend the ceremony.

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