Second grader Kristen Johnson was alongside her classmates on the playground Thursday morning at Houston Elementary School when someone called out her name. She turned to see her father, who had been gone since January.
Kristen ran and leapt into her dad’s arms. Rick Johnson held her, and they shared a long embrace in the middle of the playground.
Rick had served as a prison guard with the Navy at Guantanamo Bay. He was home for the first time in nine months.
The surprise visit was set up by Rick’s wife, Amy. They checked Kristen out of school and headed home to surprise his two younger children.
As Rick and Kristen walked toward the school building from the playground, a little boy asked, ‘Kristen, is that your dad?’ She smiled and shook her head in approval.