Killeen student reunited with father in surprise school visit

This week, an eighth-grader at Killeen Independent School District met her father in a touching reunion when he surprised her at school after his deployment.

School officials say that on May 13, while Raylee was eating lunch, Anthony Smalls, her father, walked into the cafeteria. She was a student at Roy J. Smith Middle School.

The district shared a video of Raylee recognizing her father right away. She then ran across the room and jumped into his arms while her friends cheered. Students and workers who were there to see the reunion quickly rose to their feet to applaud.

The film of the district welcoming the soldier home and thanking him for his service was shared on social media. The post said, "Welcome home, SFC Smalls, and thank you for your service."

School officials said they planned the surprise for the student's lunch break to make the reunion natural and emotional.

These kinds of events constantly happen in places like Killeen, which is close to Fort Cavazos and home to many active-duty service members and their families. But each meeting is different in how it makes you feel, especially for kids who have been away from a parent for months.

There was a short but powerful scene that showed how close local schools are to military families and how much they give while their loved ones are deployed.