Little Rays Of Happiness: Dad Returns From Iraq As 6 Yr Old Son's Surprise Birthday Present!

[BlooInBloo]

I thought this was nice.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090130/ap_on_fe_st/odd_birthday_surprise

DAYTON, Nev. – Gabriel Hurles' sixth birthday party wasn't a surprise, but his present sure was. The kindergartner was so engrossed in the cupcakes his mother brought to his class on Wednesday that he didn't notice the enormous wrapped box off to the side.

"That's one big, giant present," a 6-year-old classmate told him. "See what you got, Gabriel."

Gabriel peeled back the wrapping paper to find the surprise of his young life — his father, an Army mechanic back in Nevada on leave from his second tour in Iraq.

"It's my dad!" he announced to his classmates at Sutro Elementary School in Dayton, a few miles northeast of Carson City. "Hi, Daddy."

Army Spc. Casey Hurles, 23, hadn't seen his son since he left in June. When he learned his leave would coincide with his son's birthday, he hatched a plan to hide out in the 4-foot-tall box.

"It was such a rush of emotion," said Hurles, who said he got butterflies in his stomach while waiting in the box.

After Hurles sat down and ate a cupcake with the birthday boy, teacher Dawn VanSickle presented him with a banner from the class that read, "Welcome Home. Thank you for your service."

VanSickle said she was happy to arrange the reunion in her classroom.

"One of the first things (Gabriel) shared about himself was that his dad was in Iraq and that he was waiting for his dad to come home," she said. "He talks about his dad all the time."

EDIT: Corrected subject typo.

[CatWoman]

1. i hope this gets lots and lots and lots of recs

:)

can you imagine the little boy's face?

:)

[StreetKnowledge]

2. What a great story that is.

Seriously. I bet that's a happy kid, right there. :)

[BlooInBloo]

3. Exactly. Looking forward to 1000s more such moments.

[Mind_your_head]

4. We want them ALL to come home! And that's the "right' kinda box too!

An 'alive' birthday box.

:hug: for that family....hope there are many, many more 'good' stories like this!

[Suich]

5. They show these videos on the news once in a while and

they always make me cry!

:patriot:

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Now that is a nice story

thanks

[Sultana]

7. This story warms the heart

:)