Air Force Dad Home From Duty Surprises North Penn 2nd Grader

LANSDALE, PA — A second grader in the North Penn School District was in for a big surprise when he came into school on Wednesday morning.

At first it appeared that Bill Bowen, principal of Gwynedd Square Elementary, was just visiting the class for a special lesson about military service members.

"They take care of us, they keep our country safe too. They're the best," he read from a student paper about the military. He then asked the assembled students if they knew anyone who was in the military, and if they had any family members who were service members.

Finally, he asked if any of the students had a mother or a father who was deployed overseas.

And with that, Upper Gwynedd native and Air Force Master Sergeant Jeff Tomczak entered the room, to be reunited with his tearful son.

Tomczak returned from deployment on Tuesday night, arriving in Baltimore, and made it up to Gwynedd Square in time for class on Wednesday.

"Having been on deployment, I know what it's like to come back. You miss your family. It felt very special to make that reunion happen for this family," Bowen added.

Image via screenshot, courtesy North Penn School District