GREENVILLE, S.C. — There was a lot of hugging and tears on Friday when a soldier returned home from Afghanistan and surprised his son during a school assembly in Greenville, South Carolina.
According to WYFF, Lt. Paul Carroll, a cardiologist and member of the National Guard, returned home Friday after a six-month tour.
However, Carroll came home three weeks earlier than Josh, his 13-year-old son, was expecting.
Josh was at a school awards ceremony on Friday. The final award was for “service to your country.”
Josh and his mom were called to the stage and that’s when they surprised Josh.
A school official said ”Please welcome back home Lt. Paul Carroll.”
Carroll walked through the door and Josh ran down the aisle and jumped into his arms.
A moment later Josh said “I love you dad.”
“I love you too,” Carroll said.
According to Fox Carolina, Carroll’s other two sons, who go to school in Charleston, had no idea their father was coming home early. They came to visit and were surprised by who greeted them.
“He’s teaching me by his own example and everything he does I look up to, and I just am trying to image him because that’s what I’m gonna be one day,” said his son Jon.