For anyone who has a family member that is serving the nation, I’d like to start by commending you for being brave and understanding of the duties your loved one has signed up for because it’s not easy to be a part of a military family. And, for those who are a part of the nation’s military, thank you for everything that you do for your country.
Being a part of the military means that you’re usually far away from home and your loved ones, and don’t get the chance to come back home as often as you’d like to. You miss special occasions like birthdays and graduations, and some soldiers will even miss something as important as the birth of their children. These men and women deserve all the recognition in this world for serving the country and giving up so much of their everyday lives to keep the rest of us safe.
Since soldiers are deployed for months on end, it only makes sense that their homecoming will be extra special and emotional. When a soldier leaves home, his/her family doesn’t know when they’ll see him/her next. So, when that moment comes, it’s a tear-jerking time for everyone. In my opinion, the best homecomings are the ones that come as a surprise to the family members — no one knows that their deployed soldier is coming back home! We have one such story for you here today.
U.S. Marine Dave Woodruff had been deployed to Spain about eight months ago. Although he was in Spain for the last eight months, he had been away from home for the last two years, serving in the military. He really missed home and waited for the day that he would go back and visit. When he found out that his deployment in Spain would end earlier than expected, Dave knew exactly what he was going to do!
The man got together with some of his friends back home and decided to surprise his parents with a homecoming they weren’t expecting.
Dave’s parents were attending service at their local church in New Jersey one day; they had no idea that their son was sitting in the car in the church parking lot. Before it was time to dismiss the service, the pastor announced that there is a little treat in store for those who are attending.
The pastor plays a video clip from Dave, in which he wishes his dad a happy early 53rd birthday. He admits that he has missed his father’s birthday for the last two years since he’s been on active duty. The marine says that this time around he wanted to do something special for his parents.
Click on the link below to watch what happens next and how this surprise goes down. You’ll need tissues for this one!
