WKRN, Nashville, Tennessee News, Weather and Sports |Soldier returning from overseas surprises daughter at school

Soldier returning from overseas surprises daughter at school

ALGOOD, Tenn. – A soldier returning home from Afghanistan surprised her daughter at a local middle school on Friday morning.

Air Force Master Sergeant Darolyn Dale has been deployed since October 2010, for a total of 256 days away from her daughter Zoe who attends Algood Middle School.

Dale said that her daughter knew she would be returning home, but she arrived about two weeks earlier than expected.

She told Nashville's News 2 that she was stunned to see her mother walk in and couldn't get to her fast enough.

"It is an emotional day, but I am home," Darolyn said.

Darolyn returned from overseas just before 9 a.m. to a surprise homecoming herself.

"I thought my mom and my dad were picking me up at the airport and I had a Patriot Guard Escort and line up to greet me," she said.

The Patriot Guard then escorted Darolyn to Zoe's school.

"It was amazing. The support and the love you get from people is just amazing. How much they support the military, you don't realize it," Darolyn said.

Now that her mother is home Zoe said she is looking forward to spending time with her.

"[I'm going to go] home and hang out with my mom," she said.

Darolyn added, "[We're going to] have some down time, good quality down time."

The surprise homecoming was pulled off thanks to Sgt. Dale's parents, who are members of the Patriot Guard Riders and have a total of five children serving in the Air Force.