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  • 1 day ago
A two-year-old girl jumped for joy when she looked under the covers of a bed and was surprised by her soldier dad returning. Charleigh Mershon lives with her mom, Rachael, 30, from the Clarksville-Hopkinsville area of Kentucky, while her father, Chase, 35, is based away from home with the U.S. Army, in the Midwest. Such separation has been difficult, Rachael admitted, as when Chase joined the military in 2024, she and her Charleigh only saw him twice because of his training schedule. Then, when Chase was given his first duty assignment, the family learned that he would be based in the Midwest, away from his family home in Kentucky. For his most recent spell away, Chase left in July, and so he knew he wanted to surprise his daughter when he returned a few months later. On September 27, Rachael told Charleigh that there was a surprise waiting in her mom and dad's bedroom. Rachael had no idea that Chase was planning to hide under the covers, but when Charleigh pulled them back and saw her dad, she immediately jumped off the bed and onto the floor, leaping around happily with her arms aloft.
Transcript
00:00Go look at mommy's room. We have a surprise for you.
00:06Two-year-old Charlie lives with mom Rachel in Kentucky.
00:10Her dad Chase serves in the Army hundreds of miles away.
00:15Training and duty mean they barely see each other.
00:18There hasn't been a challenge in my military career so far that quite compares to being away from her.
00:23Just not being able to tuck her in bed, watching her laugh, watching her cry about not getting her way.
00:30It's everything.
00:31So on his first stretch back, Chase planned a simple surprise Charlie would never forget.
00:38Go look at mommy's room. We have a surprise for you.
00:44Go look at mommy's bed.
00:48While I was under the covers just waiting for her to run into the room, when my wife went to get her,
00:55I was just hoping that the perfect moment was right.
00:58Look under the covers.
01:00I can't see.
01:04It's daddy!
01:08It's daddy!
01:10Daddy!
01:18Daddy!
01:20I got a surprise.
01:22That's her surprise.
01:25Surprise.
01:25it's like every care in the world that i had just turned off when i just saw her face light up
01:32everything every worry every concern everything just pushed its way out and uh
01:40it became overwhelming joy at that point because uh i saw my baby for a family learning this new
01:53rhythm service long separation with brief reunions
02:03these moments truly matter and chase says that jump for joy when charlie saw him made every sacrifice
02:12worth it parent no mode never turns off for me i'm always a father 24 7. um but i'm always a soldier
02:2124 7. and the clear distinction is is when i'm home i'm present as much as we love to serve our
02:28country my family will always be my greatest love
02:32you
02:39you
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