Brother Returns From Military, Surprises Sister (Video)

A teen in Arizona was caught on camera having an emotional surprise reunion with her brother after he returned home from the military (video below).

Elizabeth Rader was sitting on the floor of her home watching television when her dog started barking. She then heard the door open, but didn’t think anything of it – rather, she thought it was her brother John coming inside. As it turned out, John was there. He wasn’t alone, though. 

John, camera in hand, walked in alongside the pair’s brother, Shane, who snuck up on his sister and caused her to fall backwards in shock. It took her a few seconds to realize what was happening before she jumped up and smothered him in a hug.

“Shane!” she screams through tears. Completely overcome with disbelief, she lets go and looks at him in shock. 

“I was just taking to you,” she says while stammering. 

Shane, Newsiosity reported, had been stationed in Italy for three years in the military, and hadn’t seen his siblings that entire time. When he surprised his sister, he’d been home for three days – but he wanted to plan his entrance and make it an extra special reunion.

“What a wonderful surprise,” one Newsiosity reader commented in response on the site’s Facebook page.

“Awesome story,” another added.

In a similar incident, a New Jersey father surprised his 4-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter during a Disney on Ice performance.

Jamie Curcio is a member of the Navy Reserves, was stationed in Afghanistan for a long period of time and decided to surprise his family when he finally returned home. His children were on stage as a part of Disney on Ice Presents Frozen, an adaptation of the popular children’s movie, when their father appeared on the ice in front of them.

“My life, for the past nine and a half months or so has really been embedded with the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police, doing training and assisting for them,” Curcio told NJ.com.

“It’s a hell of a homecoming,” he said. “I see them all the time on, you know, the internet and stuff, all the videos of homecomings, and I never thought that we would have this kind of moment to share.”

Many readers praised the event venue where the show took place for letting the soldier reunite with his children in such a special way.

“Oh that is sweet what the Prudential Center was able to do for Mr. Crucio and his family. For me it is a passion to be seeing videos and pictures of military reunions especially the ones that involves them and their family. Well, I wonder though, how many military reunion planners participated in that event,” one reader commented. 

Sources: Newsiosity, Newsiosity/Facebook, NJ.com / Photo credit: Newsiosity