Returning Vernon Soldier Schemes To Surprise Daughter At School

VERNON, CT — It took about 12 hours of hiding in the basement and a clandestine campaign to keep the family dog quiet, but a soldier managed to surprise his daughter at a Vernon school Monday after returning home from a Middle East deployment.

"I didn't want to tear up in uniform, but this is ... emotional," Sgt. 1st Class David Flint said after a long hug with his daughter, Gabriella, at Lake Street School. "I'm glad to be home."

The emotions had to wait for a bit because, in an effort to scheme the surprise, Flint said he had to hide in the basement overnight.

Flint, a 16-year National Guard member, said he was deployed to Jordan at the beginning of the year with five other members of the 242nd Army National Guard Construction Management Team and returned to U.S. soil at about 6 p.m. Sunday. Flint's wife, Cara, said she enjoyed her emotional reunion with her husband but added it took some doing to hide David downstairs and keep the dog calm.

The Flints' 3-year-old son, Max, found Dad after Gabriella went to school Monday morning. It was then off to surprise Gabriella at Lake Street. Gabriella's kindergarten teacher, Kelly Brown, had already brought the students outside into a courtyard to take what has become known as a "mask break." Brown was also Dad's kindergarten teacher when she was at Maple Street School.

David slowly walked around the building and caught Gabriella in the middle of an exercise routine. She looked up, paused, and then sprinted toward dad.

The hug lasted several minutes.

When asked is she was happy to see dad, Gabriella shook her head yes repeatedly.

Taking it all in, Cara Flint remarked that 2020 will be finishing out "much better than it began." David Flint said the timing was perfect.

"It will be good to have the holidays with everyone," he said.

David Flint said his latest deployment was easier on everyone because of an almost immediate response time on the FaceTime phone application. He said delays could be 30 seconds long during a previous deployment to Afghanistan. Gabriella also had a pillow doll with dad's likeness on it to keep her company.

"But this is much better," David Flint said. "It feels so good to be back with everyone."

Gabriella opted to take the rest of the day off. Before the family left the school, Cara Flint was asked what the plan was for the rest of the day.

"Probably nothing," she said. "It's just good being together."