An Iraqi boy had an emotional reunion with his mother, Tuesday, after spending a year in the United States for a series of surgeries.

Mohammed, 13, was brought to the U.S. by Maj. David Howell from the Michigan Army National Guard.

The boy was severely burned as a toddler, but his family couldn't pay for the surgery after his father died while translating for the U.S. military.

Howell then organized the reconstructive surgeries -- five total.

"His mother took his hat off and showed some real disfiguring burns and scars that were on his head and his face," he recalled.

"We were able to... take out virtually all of the scarring area on the top of his head and cover that to where he essentially has a normal hairline now," Dr. Edward Lanigan explained.

Mohammed said it feels "great" now that he's had the surgeries..

"I thank him so much for helping me,"he said.

Maj. Howell escorted the boy back to his mother Iraq. He says they are trying to find a way to bring Mohammed back to the U.S. for college, maybe to attend Michigan State.