Kids at Hallowell Elementary in Horsham get surprise reunion with military dad after deployment
HORSHAM, Pa. (CBS) -- Two students had no idea about the surprise waiting for them at school Monday after their dad returned from his military deployment overseas.
"The holidays were really tough," Tara Unger, the mother of the children, said.
Unger tried to give the best holiday she could to her 9-year-old daughter, Evelyn, and her 7-year-old son, Jackson.
"The kids had all of the magic and everything they put into the holidays," Tara Unger said.
However, the kids were missing their dad, New Jersey Air National Guard Tech Sergeant Dustin Unger, who was deployed to Saudi Arabia in October.
"It was hard not being there," he said.
He added, the family also powered through a trip to Disneyland without him.
"Them being taller this year and being able to do some of the bigger rides and not just the kiddie rides," Dustin Unger said.
Dustin Unger thanked all the teachers and students at Hallowell Elementary, where the kids attend school and Tara Unger is a recess assistant, for standing in the gap while he served his country.
"They've been there for her and made sure she had everything she needed. If she couldn't be in, they made sure like, 'Don't worry about it,'" Dustin Unger said.
The students and staff also helped Tara Unger hide a big surprise.
"Here he comes," announced Hallowell principal Steve Glaize. "Mr. Unger come on out!"
The kids jumped into their dad's arms, their classmates cheered, and mom wiped away tears. Evelyn Unger said the separation was hard on her too.
"I probably cried like three times," she said.
Feeling his kids' arms around him, was wonderful for Dustin Unger.
"Good. Good," he said. "I love it."
Seeing how this is Dustin Unger's 19th year in the service, Tara Unger hoped this was his final deployment.
"His goal was always to get to 20 to be able to retire. So hopefully, this will be his last deployment," Tara Unger said.
But for now, these four would just celebrate being under the same roof, again.
