Military Dad Surprises Son At RivCo School After 1.5 Years: VIDEO

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Sgt. William Faulkner hasn't called Hemet home for more than a year and a half. But this week, he was granted leave from the U.S. Marine Corps and headed stateside from Okinawa, Japan — and his son had no idea.

So, while young Aiden sat in class at Whittier Elementary School, he received the shock of a lifetime on Tuesday. Faulkner and his wife Samantha had planned an elaborate surprise with the help of school staff.

"[Aiden] has been saying how much he misses his dad and having fun with him," Samantha Faulkner told Patch. "So me and my husband knew we wanted to surprise him when he came home on leave."

As Aiden's teacher taught class like "normal," Sgt. Faulkner walked up behind the teacher, who announced "a very special guest." A visibly stunned Aiden jumped up and ran to his father, immediately sharing a heartwarming embrace 18 months in the making that'll bring tears to your eyes.

"I was excited and very emotional," Samantha said of watching her boys reunite. "I was crying, his teacher Mrs. Smith was crying and even the principal pushed out a couple of tears."

Samantha captured the entire thing on camera and shared the footage with Patch, which we've embedded above.

Sgt. Faulkner will return to Japan after 20 days, so the family says they are "going to savor every moment" together.

— Images and video courtesy of Samantha Faulkner