MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Germantown dad who was deployed for nine months waited an extra day to see his kids, just so he could surprise his 6-year-old daughter at school.
But he’s not the only survivor in the family.
Family members call Zoey a miracle child because she had open-heart surgery at just five days old. Now, she’s a kindergarten student at Germantown Elementary.
Her father, Army Specialist James Rhodes, has been deployed in Poland since last July.
“I’ve been in eastern Europe deterring Russian threats,” Rhodes said. “I decided to join the Army to benefit my family. I missed my family very much. Very much. I’m glad to be back home.”
“My daughter works a full-time job with the two babies, and they need their dad,” Stephanie Hankins said. “But I know he went off to the service to protect us, so it was good. But I think now they need their father.”
Rhodes got home Thursday night but didn’t wake up the kids, deciding to wait it out until Friday.
“I just want to surprise her,” Rhodes said. “Let her know I’m home.”
As Zoey worked on lessons with her teacher, the man she hadn’t seen since before the school year walked in to her classroom.
It takes her a moment, then that big smile shows. The dad she’s been talking to every day on video chat is standing in front of her.
On this day, Zoey got to leave school early.
“We’re going to go get pancakes and going to Chuck E. Cheese!” her dad said.
Next, they get to spend Mother’s Day weekend back together as a family.