Michael Cooper sacrificed everything to raise his daughter, Christina Hudson.
He dropped his positions as a paratrooper and cook in the Army and picked up two to three other jobs at a time in order to support her as a single father.
“She was my heart, she always had a dad supporting her no matter what,” he said.
This father-daughter bond has been evident through Christina’s career path. She served as a cook in the military just like her dad after graduating from Largo High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
This weekend, Michael made a 12-hour trip from Illinois to stand at Iwo Jima memorial as his daughter received a promotion years in the making when she finally became a Marine Corps major.
“All the things that he did for me and the sacrifice, and I think I really carry that into my character and who I am in the Marine Corps, too” said Christina, who now lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
The promotion ceremony included Christina receiving her official pin, which Michael helped to put on her.
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“I’m so happy, you have no idea,” said a very teary-eyed Michael, standing proudly with his daughter.
