JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A local man got quite a shock when his soldier son-in-law came home for some unexpected R & R leave in April.
Now, the video of their reunion has started to go viral, getting attention everywhere from the UK to Australia, said father-in-law Mike K.
Mike was on a business call when he came into his house in mid-April and his daughter told him to get off the phone.
When he looked into his kitchen, he saw his son-in-law standing there.
Since Mike's son-in-law is currently deployed, First Coast News is not identifying him for the safety of he and his unit, and that is also why only Mike's last initial is being used.
Read the blog entry about their homecoming on Welcome Home Blog
"I couldn't believe he was there," Mike said. "He wasn't supposed to come home until August."
In addition to surprising Mike, the soldier also surprised his kids and his mother when he flew into Jacksonville International Airport. The soldier's wife (Mike's daughter) also posted video of that on Welcome Home Blog.
The soldier's father served in Vietnam and died two years ago, so Mike wants to be there for his son-in-law as his father would be.
"I tell him all the time I'm proud of him," Mike said. "He's just a great kid all the way around.
And, Mike said, his son-in-law did indeed cook the chicken that night, as he said he would in the video.
"He's a great cook," Mike said.
First Coast News