Holding on to the moment

Cranberry Elementary student gets a surprise in time
for the holidays with happy return of her military dad

Cranberry fifth grader Cora Hays was picked to help with a Veterans Day assembly Friday afternoon. She and two of her classmates were asked to read certificates out loud. Two were for lifetime achievements of the service of two the Knox American Legion riders.

​But Cora's certificate was a little different.

​"Certificate of appreciation awarded to Welcome Home Dad. Thank you for your service to our country," she read without flinching or really letting the words she was reading sink in. She then looked ahead at her friends in the class when someone told her to turn around.

Standing behind her was her dad - U.S. Army Sgt.Trevor Hays, who has been deployed since the day after Christmas last year. For the next half hour they couldn't let go of each other.

This special reunion was made possible through a coordinated effort between Cranberry Elementary School principal Bob Honer and staff, a Butler based group called Hero's Angels and the Knox Legion Riders, who picked up Hays and escorted him to the school so he could surprise his daughter. They also escorted them back to Butler for more gatherings and dinner.

Horner arranged the "Veterans Day" program for Cora's class to facilitate the reunion and to allow the Knox American Legion to present a short Veterans Day program. The plan worked and all the youngsters in the room got to experience the surprise alongside Cora.

But the main reason for the program was for one student. "We're happy we could do this," Horner said moments after the ceremony.

And the class was able to participate in an assembly to learn about veterans and witness the happiness of one of their own getting to see her dad after almost a year.

Cora quietly took in the moment, hugging her dad as much as possible. "I don't know, welcome home I think," she said when asked what she said to her dad when she saw him. 

"I couldn't tell you, there were too many things going on" Trevor said, himself a bit overwhelmed. He had admitted being nervous moments before the reunion.

The two may have been speechless about their reunion, but they were both very happy to be together.

During the ceremony, Knox Legion commander Jerry Fester spoke of Hays' duty to country and others.  He told of how Hays and his buddies in Africa took time to help local children at an orphanage, even on their days off, with projects and helping their cook get the transportation he needed to get back and forth from home. 

All the while Cora reacted by hugging her dad tighter.

After the ceremony all the kindergartnen classes lined the side walk to salute the riders, Sgt. Hays and Cora.

Hays said he's likely a career military guy and he reports back to duty in 180 days.

But for now he is home.