Army Specialist William Mariano's little daughter is in kindergarten. She is currently learning about the military and the soldiers who serve in it.
Her teacher, Jacki Schloegel, immediately picked up on the little girl's enthusiasm for learning about the military.
"When I talked about how soldiers have to leave home for a long time, you know, she definitely said, 'My dad's been gone for a long time,'" Jacki recalled.
Indeed, Specialist Mariano hadn't seen his daughter in nearly seven months, after being stationed in Fort Hood, Texas. And though they could speak to each other through FaceTime, it just wasn't the same.
"Every single time I talk to her on the phone, she's like, 'When are you coming home?'" Specialist Mariano said.
So, after getting a chance to come back home for a few days, the specialist decided to surprise his beloved daughter.
Her kindergarten class was moved to the library to learn more about the military. And when she walked in with her classmates, she barely realized the sign that was on the whiteboard, which read: "Welcome Home, Specialist Mariano."
The specialist was actually lying in wait for the perfect moment.
As a song began to play, all the kids turned in the direction of the music, but instead of finding its source they saw Specialist Mariano walking toward them!
Check out the rest of his homecoming in the video below, and please SHARE it on Facebook!
