A young woman from Tennessee was so thrilled to meet her high school sweetheart again that she journeyed hundreds of miles and weaved through a crowd to reach him.

19-year-old Anna Lee Williams eagerly missed her Airman boyfriend, Jacob Holmes, while he was undergoing basic military training with the U.S. Air Force. “Transitioning from spending every day together to nearly no communication was challenging,” she shared. “However, I couldn’t be prouder of him.”

When graduation day came, Anna was anxious to see him. She made her way to Lakeland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, to participate in the event. As soon as the ceremony wrapped up, Anna dashed through a crowd of attendees to tap him out – a customary gesture where loved ones touch an Airman’s shoulder to free them from formation.

“It felt like the biggest relief,” she expressed. “Seeing him evolve from a young man into a remarkable Airman is truly amazing.”