Soldier surprises daughter at Hampshire middle school
When the announcement came over the PA system that all eighth-grade classes were to report to the gym for an assembly, Kaitlyn Cavanagh braced herself for another motivational speaker.
What she and her eighth-grade classmates got was exactly that -- except this motivational speaker was Kaitlyn's father, Army Master Sgt. Bill Cavanagh, back for a brief surprise visit from his base in Iraq.
Cavanagh's visit to Hampshire Middle School Friday was a closely guarded secret, and before the career soldier arrived at the school, Kaitlyn and her classmates had no idea he was coming home, let alone the school.
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About an hour before school dismissed, Cavanagh walked into the gym and was met with cheers, applause and a standing ovation.
Kaitlyn, who had been sitting in the front row of the bleachers, ran up to her father and embraced him for the first time since he left for Iraq in July 2007.
"I'm just very happy to see my dad," Kaitlyn said. "I thought it was just going to be another assembly."
The moment was an uplifting epilogue to a trying year for Kaitlyn. Before her father was sent to Iraq, Kaitlyn's townhouse in Gilberts burned down in the January 2007 fire that claimed the life of neighbor Karyn Pearson.
After the tearful father-daughter reunion, Cavanagh talked about his service with the eighth-grade class and answered questions about his life as a soldier in Iraq.
Cavanagh, who oversees Army paralegals in Iraq, encouraged students to stay focused on their education no matter what their plans are after graduation.
"Your high school years are so critical (as) your stepping stone to college," Cavanagh said. "You should always understand the importance of education. #8230; It is the cornerstone of your life."
After the assembly, Cavanagh said he was pleased with the response he got from the eighth-grade class, which peppered him with dozens of questions.
"I'm just glad that people are wondering what it's like over there," Cavanagh said.
Middle school Principal Jim Wallis said the assembly was a unique educational opportunity for the kids.
"I think anytime you can get somebody who's been there and had firsthand experience, it can be powerful for the students," Wallis said. "Those are the best kind of learning experiences."