SACRAMENTO –

It was a chaotic scene, a night out on New Year’s Eve 2013 turned tragic in Old Sacramento. Two men died, one of them Gabriel Cordova.

Even though he didn’t live to see it, his wish was for his daughter to become a Marine.

After training in the Marine Corps, Tyandra Cordova fulfilled her father’s dream and graduated in South Carolina. Today she can say she is a U.S. Marine.

“All of these people here, they’ve helped me so much through everything. They’ve picked me up when I’ve wanted to fall down every time. It’s great. They’ve been my rock. Without them, I don’t know where I’d be right now,” said Cordova.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Tyandra had no idea her friends and family would be at Sacramento International Airport waiting for her.

“She has gone through a lot. The death of her father was just a devastating blow to her. She came out of that, beyond the belief of anyone. We thought in a lot of ways it was going to crush her. But it didn’t. It actually made her stronger,” said Andrea Battilegra, who coached Cordova in rugby.

Letting her know she’s an inspiration to all, she had no idea they’d be here.

“It’s great to see all of them again, especially coming right back home,” Cordova said.