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Third-grader Amaya Waddy got a surprise Wednesday morning during Wesleyan Christian Academy’s elementary school Veterans’ Day celebration.

Principal Perry Nicklow called 8-year-old Amaya, her mom and some extended family members to the stage.

“Amaya at times will stop me in the hall or stop by my office and say how her daddy is doing,” Nicklow explained.

Johnathan Waddy, a U.S. Army chief warrant officer, left for Iraq in October 2008 for his sixth tour of duty in the Middle East. He returned just a few weeks ago, and Amaya and her mom went to visit him in New York, where he is stationed.

“Amaya, was your daddy able to be here?” Nicklow asked.
“No,” she said.

“Well, we have a surprise for you. Are you ready for a surprise?” Nicklow asked Amaya. She looked up at her mother.

Nicklow told Amaya to look behind her. When she did, her dad stepped out from behind the curtains. Amaya ran to him and threw her arms around his waist.

Later, Amaya said she was really excited when she saw her dad. When she was on stage, she thought the principal was going to ask her to say a few words about her dad, not to reveal him to her and the audience.

Amaya asked her mom if she could skip school to spend time with her dad, who was leaving later in the day. “Don’t you have a test today?” her mother, Angela Waddy , asked.

Angela Waddy said she and Johnathan Waddy didn’t know if he could attend the ceremony until a week ago. Johnathan Waddy said he decided to surprise Amaya instead of telling her he’d be there. If he couldn’t make it, he didn’t want Amaya to be disappointed.

Angela Waddy said Amaya hS spent the night at her grandparents’ house and even called her dad that morning to wish him a happy Veterans’ Day, still thinking he was in Watertown, N.Y.

“Just to see the excitement on her face, it was really worth it,” Johnathan Waddy said.

He plans to retire next September after a 20-year career with the Army.

“We’re hoping he’ll stay for 20 years,” Amaya said.

“I plan to be here much longer than that,” Johnathan Waddy laughed, reaching down to hug his daughter.

The family sat together in the audience during the ceremony, which featured songs, presentation of colors and a video.

While the elementary students sang “Armed Forces Medley,” veterans from each of the military branches stood up and received applause. There were more than two dozen veterans, including a handful of World War II vets, in attendance.

World War II veteran Max Meeks was the guest speaker. He told stories about his service in the Navy from 1943-46.

“While it’s an honor to serve, don’t think that honor is something you work for,” Meeks said. “I never knew a man in the Navy who was working so he could be honored down the road. Honor is a gift. It’s something someone gives you as an appreciation. It’s something that says, 'Thank you.’”

Contact E.A. Seagraves at 883-4422, Ext. 241, or elizabeth. seagraves@news-record.com