By Tim Harfmann
Holly Murray is a seventh grader at Saint Francis de Sales Catholic Academy in Belle Harbor, Queens.
Her dad, Navy Commander Cornelius Murray, had been working with Afghan forces inside the country until he was able to come home on October 9.
Currents News first showed you the emotional reunion: a dad surprising his daughter when he unexpectedly arrived in her science class.
Now, they’re enjoying their time together.
“It’s kind of like back to normal, basically,” said Holly. “Kind of just, like, being able to be around him more, and there’s so much less stress.”
Throughout his 30 years in the United States service, Cdr. Murray was deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and on the Indian Ocean.
“Out of the four deployments I’ve been on, this was the hardest one, so it was very emotional coming home this time,” Cdr. Murray said.
It’s a return the Murrays had been praying for.
“When I landed in Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, one of the first places I went to was the chapel,” Cdr. Murray explained.
“I just always prayed to God that he was safe, and obviously my prayers were answered,” Holly added.
Cdr. Murray remains on active duty, but he’s hoping to be near his family for at least the next five years.