May 3 was supposed to be an exciting day for one Iowa mom graduating from college.
Sebrina Hill of Oskaloosa had a row full of friends and family at Elliott Hall of Music in West Lafayette supporting her as she prepared to receive her Associate of Science in Nursing degree from Purdue Global, except for one person: Her son, Blane Yuhas, a U.S. Army specialist serving overseas.
“My heart felt heavy not having him there because my other two children were present,” Hill said in a news release. “I didn’t feel whole without him there.”
This was until Yuhas surprised Hill by walking into the commencement ceremony just as his mom was about to receive her degree. The Purdue Global graduation team captured the heartfelt encounter on video and shared it on their social media pages, which has since garnered thousands of views.
“Seeing him walk around the line of people was a complete shock and such a joyful moment for me. My heart was complete,” she said.
‘My children have been my hope, joy and biggest supporters,’ says Iowa mom surprised by soldier son at graduation
Sebrina Hill, an Oskaloosa mom and U.S. Air Force veteran, was surprised by her son, Blane Yuhas, during her commencement ceremony for graduating from Purdue Global on May 3, 2025.
“During the hardest times, my children have been my hope, joy and biggest supporters,” she said. “Blane speaks my language even when no words are spoken. He knows how to push me out of my comfort zone and never fails to remind me that he is there to pick me up.”
Hill, a U.S. Air Force veteran, works as a paramedic and reserve firefighter in Oskaloosa.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Watch Iowa mom get surprised by military son on her graduation day
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