She didn’t know her dad drove 15 hours to see her play basketball

For Aariele Alford, the only thing missing from her basketball games was her dad.

Ever since her parents split up when she was 2, her father, Aaron Alford, made a promise never to miss her birthday. But when Aariele and her mother, Sophilia, moved from Jackson, Mississippi, to Houston, the 15-hour drive made keeping that tradition difficult.

Knowing his daughter wished he could see her play for the first time, Aaron secretly teamed up with Sophilia to plan the long-awaited surprise for Aariele’s 15th birthday.

On game night at CE King High School, Aaron snuck onto the bleachers. Sophilia got her daughter’s attention, and when Aariele scanned the crowd and caught a glimpse of her dad, the teenage basketball player froze stiff on the court.

Watch the moment a teenage basketball player catches sight of her doting dad

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