Military dad surprises daughter at Oxbow Elementary

DUNLAP, Ind. -- Stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, U.S. Army Private First Class Brandon Riffle has been overseas in Kuwait and Iraq on active duty since April.

Riffle hasn't seen his 7-year-old daughter, Baylie, since he left.

“Just sand but thankfully they have WiFi,” said Private First Class Brandon Riffle, U.S. Army.

When he arrived back in the U.S. just two weeks ago, Baylie's mom had an idea that Riffle wasn't going to pass up.

“My daughter's mother called me and said, ‘Hey do you want to surprise Baylie?’ And I said ‘Yeah’. So I’ll come back walk in and surprise her. I thought I was just going to give her flowers and that’s it. And she was like no you are going to actually surprise her. Everybody will be there and I’m like ok. She doesn’t know I’m here at all. She is excited because my mom is coming," said Riffle.

“You see it on Facebook and on the news and once she came to us after a Christmas concert and said this was a possibility. What an honor. What an honor," Javier Jimenez, Principal of Concord Ox Bow Elementary School

With the help of Concord Oxbow Elementary School Principal Javier Jimenez, they were able to pull off the surprise of a lifetime.

Just days before Christmas little Baylie, a second grader was about to receive the only gift she would need.

“The kids for them to understand the sacrifice that these families make for us and for us to be able to do the things that we do, its all thanks to them. Having the kids for them to experience that’s a once in a lifetime experience and we are glad we can do that for them," said Jiminez.

“Its been forever since I've been able to hold her. Happy to see her good face. See her smiling. That’s all that matters. I always do these crazy things for you,” said Riffle.

After a 2-week Christmas break, he will return to active duty and most likely be deployed to Korea for nine months.