South Florida

Soldier Surprises Mom for Christmas in Emotional Reunion

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"I'll be home for Christmas" took on a whole new meaning for one soldier who surprised his mother for the holidays. “She finally came outside and I popped up out the back seat and I was like boom, hey here I am," Army Sergeant Greg Hardy said.

Hardy had been serving overseas on a two-year deployment in South Korea.

His mother's reaction was priceless as he surprised her by coming home Christmas Day.

“Two years is a long time," Hardy said. "It doesn’t seem like it’s a long time until it actually passes, so when I finally got to see her, there was a rush of emotions and excitement. Relief and happiness."

“I’m still in shock. It was amazing to see him come out of that car. I cried my eyes out because I was elated to see him. I will never forget that day,” Hardy’s mother, Ann Meyers said.

With the help of his siblings and the Broward Sheriff's Office Tamarac District, Hardy was able to coordinate the emotional reunion. To throw his mother off, deputies knocked on her door saying they needed to talk to her about a robbery nearby. There was no real robbery and when she walked out her door, Hardy was waiting.

“When he opened that car door, I lost it. I could not believe my son was home and I gave him the tightest hug I could ever give him. That was the best Christmas present anyone could ever have given me,” Meyers said.

The mother and son say they will cherish this moment forever as no gift under the tree could match this joyful reunion.

“Everything. Everything. To be able to have some fun and give my mother a Christmas present and be able to see her smile again. It’s cool to see it over Zoom and FaceTime but there’s nothing like seeing it in person and feeling it in person. You know this is as real as it gets," Hardy said.

Greg will now be stationed closer to home in Virginia.

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