Master Sergeant Mike Maroney has kept a certain picture on his wall over the past 10 years – that of himself and a little girl he delivered to safety during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

As the poignant photo of the twosome hugging swept the nation, so did Mike’s search for the happy girl and her family.

After PEOPLE broke the news earlier this month that Maroney had ultimately found his “Katrina Girl” (her name is LeShay Brown), the pair finally reunited during an emotional taping of The Real on Tuesday.

Maroney first explained to the show’s hosts why LeShay’s hug had inspired him so much, saying, “If she’s strong enough to handle this, I can handle this.” Then, the 19-year pararescue jumper was finally “re-introduced” to the girl who changed his life all those years ago.

Read the article “A Veteran’s Emotional Reunion with ‘Katrina Girl’ He Saved” on people.com.