Father returns home from deployment and surprises daughter at school

Eight-year-old Creekbend Elementary & Middle School student Talia Nguyen received the greatest gift this Veterans Day when her father returned home.

Sergeant Nguyen, a defender with the 172nd Security Forces Squadron of the Mississippi Air National Guard, is back on dad duty.

Of course, he’s always been Talia’s dad, but he’s been overseas for an extended deployment and they have not hugged in quite some time.

This isn’t the first time Nguyen has surprised Talia, but every time is just as special as the first. “When you miss birthday parties, certain events, softball games. Things like that in that nature. When you’re not there, that’s the reason it takes a toll on the family or on the kids,” Trung Nguyen, Talia’s father, said, “So, being able to be home again and participate in those events and having that bond again with your children. It’s a big deal.”

Talia left with her father and other family members to spend the rest of Veterans Day together as a family.