A 10-year-old boy got an incredible reward after completing an inflatable obstacle course – crossing the finish line to discover his military bonus dad had returned home from a 10-month deployment.
Deacon Truax, from Holt, Michigan, hadn’t seen bonus dad Anthony Almazan, 34, for almost a year while the United States Army Reserve staff sergeant was deployed to the Middle East.
To Deacon and his biological twin sisters, Adalyne and McKenna, both aged nine, Anthony is like a father, as he stepped into their lives around four years ago, their mom, Lindsay, 37, said.
Anthony’s time overseas was also the kids’ first experience of one of his deployments, making it extra tough on Deacon, his sisters, and their bonus sister, six-year-old Isabella, Anthony’s daughter.
But it was Deacon who struggled the most: he is the only boy in a house of four girls when Anthony is away, and every night he slept with a Build-A-Bear Anthony had given him.
Each milestone of the deployment the family would video call Anthony overseas – but it was never quite the same.
And so, when Lindsay discovered her boyfriend was set to return home in the summer, she started working on a surprise reunion for the kids.
She decided to host an army-themed birthday party for the twins on July 8, for which she rented an inflatable obstacle course.
First, Anthony woke up Adalyne and McKenna for their surprise – but Deacon was yet to return from a sleepover at a friend’s house.
The parents asked the twins to get in on their brother’s surprise, encouraging Deacon to race through the course, only for him to discover Anthony at the end.
As soon as he saw his bonus dad, a tearful Deacon raced into his arms.
Lindsay said: “When I saw Deacon’s face as he realized who was at the end of the course, I instantly teared up because I know how much he cares for Anthony and I knew that moment would be a special one for him.
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“Deacon usually only cries when he is hurt or tired and these tears were of love – so much love for the man he calls his dad.
“As his mom this made my heart so full watching the two of them not let go even a bit – they just stood there hugging each other as if no one else was around, it was a magical moment.
“Isabella also ran to him and gave him a long hug while the twins followed her.
“I loved that they all went and wrapped their little arms around them both because we all have a really special bond as a family.
“Anthony and I are all about family and our kids always coming first.”