A girl who thought her soldier dad would miss her graduation couldn’t believe her eyes when he returned from deployment to surprise her. Madison Maldonado, 17, had spent months feeling down about the fact that her father, Ricardo, 39, wouldn’t be able to attend her big day in Belton, Texas. Ricardo, a sergeant with the United States Army, had been deployed in Germany since January, and for months it looked like he wouldn't be able to make it home. But having seen his request for leave get approved, Riccardo started liaising with his wife and older daughter Brittany, 25, to plan the big surprise.