LAS VEGAS (KVVU/Gray News) – A military father was able to surprise his daughter during her college graduation ceremony last month.

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Douglas Hernandez traveled more than 30 hours from Dubai to see his daughter, Pamela Hernandez, graduate from UNLV.

“I had no idea what was going on. I thought he would be on a virtual screen. I did not know he would be in person,” she said.

KVVU shared a video of the special moment from that day. The father and daughter can be seen sharing a hug on stage to the cheers of the crowd.

“It was amazing,” Pamela Hernandez said.

UNLV officials said no one in the Hernandez family knew about the surprise visit besides Douglas Hernandez himself.

According to the school staff, the military father had missed his daughter’s previous graduation ceremonies and didn’t want to miss this one.