Think Robert Slater might be a little nervous about being reunited with his wife after an epic 12 years apart?
Fiddling endlessly with his phone? Check. Scanning and rescanning the crowds of airport arrivals? Check. Talking and talking (and talking) about how much he loves the woman he’s been married to for the last 37 years? Check!
We’ve seen some pretty emotionally charged reunions — between husbands and wives and even a particularly poignant moment between horses — but we’ve never seen someone almost collapse from sheer nerves before that fateful moment.
Robert's wife, Linda Slater, spent 12 years in Kuwait as a contractor for the U.S. Army.
“I’m ready to break out,” he tells the news crew from Fox 5 that waited with him at McCarran International Airport in Nevada.
In fact, Robert is still talking about how much he loves his wife when he spots her. Then there’s a very audible yelp of sheer joy.
“Hey!” Robert nearly screams. “What are you doing?
First, the grandchildren surround the woman, melting into her wide-open arms. Then comes the tears. Then comes the husband. And more tears.
“I’m so happy to be home,” she tells reporters. “It’s been a long time coming.”
Perhaps most importantly, Linda isn’t going to put her husband through that agonizing airport wait ever again.
“I’m home for good,” she says. “I’m done.”
And Robert chimes in, “This is home.”
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