Deployed Navy sailor, Isaac Wells, told his mom, Kara Spaulding, that she had a gift on the way for Christmas. He wouldn’t tell her what it was but specified it would be there between the 29th of December and the 1st of January.
What Spaulding didn’t know — her gift was Wells, himself, reports ABC Action News. It took a month of planning to orchestrate an arrival for the holidays, but Wells was able to pull it off.
This Navy Sailor Wanted a Hug From Mom
Wells enlisted three years ago. Only a few opportunities since then have allowed him to come home and see his family. This year, when one such opportunity presented itself, he seized it. And this one, he wanted to make extra special for the holidays.
It took a month of planning to orchestrate four flights, a two-hour car ride, and an epic surprise. To ensure its success, Wells even had to enlist the help of the company his mom works for, Aya Healthcare, and a restaurant.
Spaulding thought she was meeting her boss for a meal at one of her favorite restaurants in Clearwater, Florida. But when she arrived, her son was waiting in uniform. The entire restaurant erupted in joy for the reunion, reports ABC.
“I was thinking he bought me another PlayStation,” jests Spaulding, who was completely surprised and overwrought with emotion.
Kara Spaulding Needed This Surprise
It’s been a tough year for this mom. Recently, she had to relocate to the Tampa Bay area for work, leaving the rest of her family behind in Texas. Long hours working in the operating room of Mease Countryside Hospital, with no one to come home to.
“This is the furthest I have ever been away from my family,” says Spaulding. “So it’s a big trip and a big opportunity and I’m loving every minute of it.” The “big trip” is Wells’ journey from Japan for this special moment. One he surely knew his mom needed.
“I mean, I’ve been a mama’s boy since forever,” Wells said, laughing, “So being far away from my family has been one of the hardest things for me.”
Wells and Spaulding will get to spend the first part of the New Year together, before he heads back to Japan on January 6th.
Do you have a navy sailor in the family, far from home? How does this reunion for New Year’s Eve make you feel? Let us know in the comments below.
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