This Cheerleader Was in Tears Over Her Military Dad's Absence, Until a Kind Student Stepped In

From Woman's Day

It's not easy having an army dad, especially in a social setting that makes his absence particularly heartbreaking. An elementary school cheerleader named Addie Rodriguez had to endure such a situation during a recent football game at Central Catholic High School in San Antonio, Texas. During a cheerleading rally, all of the dads took to the field to lift their daughters onto their shoulders. All except Addie's. Being so painfully left out drove the 9-year-old girl to tears, but then a hero appeared from nowhere.

A high school senior named Matthew Garcia suddenly hopped the fence and ran over to pick her up himself. In the resulting photo, which has since gone viral, you can see little Addie beaming as the young man carries her up in his arms.

Addie's father is a senior airman who served in Afghanistan and is now in training in California.

"I just felt like somebody saved my life,"Addie told Fox29. " I thought that's so nice, especially since my dad's serving for us."

Just a reminder that heroic gestures can come both great and small.

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