Kids need their parents no matter what age they are, but sadly, not every child is able to have them around.
Those who have a parent in the military know what it’s like to be separated from them their mom or dad for a long period of time – and the feeling of just wanting them home. Oftentimes there are lots of missed birthdays, school events, and simple things like goodnight hugs.
U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Jason Webb knows how tough it is for his daughter to grow up without him. He understands the hardships and sacrifices of his daughter, so he decided to make a huge surprise for her when he returned home after 2 years of deployment.
The surprise took place at his daughter Haley’s middle school, and it’s one she’ll never forget.
Haley Webb was celebrating Veteran’s Day at school with the rest of her classmates and teachers. Because she was performing in the assembly, she wanted her father around. She even asked him if he could be on temporary leave.
The 8th-grader would’ve done anything to have her dad there that day.
Jason, however, was quick to make it clear that requesting a temporary leave wouldn’t be possible. Although disappointed, Haley completely understood.
The principal knew how much Haley wanted her father to celebrate with them. So when Jason asked if the school could help him surprise his daughter, they quickly agreed.
It turns out that Jason had already been granted leave even before Haley asked if he could come home for the celebration. He simply kept it a secret to surprise his beloved daughter.
The heartwarming plan was put into action.
On the day of the celebration, Haley was playing her instrument as part of the school band. After their performance, she was asked to come up on stage and read an introduction for their school’s special guest. Her speech highlighted their guest’s special achievements in the service.
Haley began to suspect something could be up.
In the middle of her speech, Haley noticed something odd in the story she was reading. Halfway through, she actually thought that it was about her father. However, knowing that he was still deployed in Korea, she dismissed the thought.
Something special just tugged her heart and she just couldn’t completely dismiss the idea. There was something inside her that just made her think about her dad endlessly. When Haley looked up to the audience, she saw a very familiar figure. Right then and there, she started crying in front of everyone.
Plenty of tears filled the room.
With the rest of the audience, she spotted her father in his uniform. When he walked towards her, she cried even more. As if to make up for the lost years, Haley hugged her dad so tight.
“Were you surprised?” – U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Jason Webb asked his daughter.
Even with her dad injecting humor into the situation, Haley couldn’t stop crying.
And she really can’t be blamed for her reaction. The two have missed so many occasions with Jason’s line of work. According to the dad, he was deployed for most of the first six years of his daughter’s life.
Since the sweet surprise was posted online, it’s gathered over 6.3 million views. Let’s just say it’s a real tear-jerker!
Press play below to see Haley’s reaction to seeing her dad after two years!
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