(CNN) On National Coming Out Day, Ashlyn Smith tweeted an appreciation for her roommates with images of colorful balloons, streamers and a card they'd filled with encouraging words.

"I cried, of course, because it was just so wonderful being around people who love and accept you," Smith told CNN.

my roommates surprised me after i came out to my religious parents. i've never felt so loved in my life 💖#NationalComingOutDay pic.twitter.com/AoQxAYHkpK — ash 🍂 | 293 (@flickerofhcpe) October 11, 2017

The atmosphere was celebratory, but more important, supportive. On Monday, the 20-year-old had unintentionally outed her bisexual orientation to her religious parents.

On Monday night, Smith's phone lit up with a text from her dad. He had seen a Facebook comment by Smith saying she "plays for both teams." Her response to an anonymous post was made in a public Facebook page she did not expect would show up on her father's news feed. The page serves as a connection tool between students at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, where Smith is a student.

In her reply to whether she liked girls, Smith encouraged the inquiring person to "go ahead and message" her. What she got at 10:24 p.m. that same night was a text from her Mormon father.