>> we never could find her. he says, before i close my eyes, i have to find her. i have to find her. >> reporter: just about everyone who works here was well aware of frank's attachment to that letter, and his decade-long desire to find the little girl who wrote it. so the staff did some sleuthing. and, lo and behold-- >> hey! >> reporter: dashauna is now 21. she vividly remembers writing the letter as a school assignment, because she so admired people in uniform. >> it's like, wow... >> reporter: "i get to write to a veteran." >> yeah! >> reporter: so it was like an honor? >> yeah. >> reporter: an honor that continued... >> so here she is! >> reporter: ...when dashauna surprised frank, in her national guard uniform. >> honest to god! oh, i love you so much. you can't imagine the feeling i had when she stood next to me. it just took my breath away, it really did. >> i thought, where's his heart pills? because i thought, oh, there it is, this is the big one!