A teen burst into tears of joy when her soldier brother returned home after a year overseas to surprise her during her homecoming queen contest.
Mariah Beckstead, from Ogden, Utah, had no idea her brother, Ethan, a sergeant with the United States Army National Guard, would attend the big event at her high school.
For the previous year, Ethan – who Mariah calls her “best friend” and “rock” – had been based in Poland, so his sister was left wondering when she would next see her big brother.
But after Ethan had been granted leave, he worked on a plan to be there for his sister’s big day.
After Mariah had completed her last homecoming routine as a cheerleader with her little sister, she waited with her dad to be called onto the field as one of the homecoming queen nominees.
MORE MILITARY REUNIONS: Marine Son Shocks Dad With Early Homecoming Surprise At Tailgate
Then, the announcement took a twist when those in the crowd were informed that Mariah would also be escorted by Ethan, who was in attendance.
A stunned Mariah looked around before her sergeant brother walked over to hug her.
Along the way, Ethan was also jumped on by Mariah’s younger sister, Grace, who had no idea about the surprise.
Want more good news? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter - Smileworthy. It's a weekly 5-minute read packed with uplifting stories, positive news and tips for living life more Happily. Oh, and it's free! 👇
Even though Mariah didn’t win Homecoming Queen, she said Ethan’s surprise made it feel like she did.
She added: “Ethan was deployed to Poland and had been deployed for a year.
“My brother has always been my best friend and my rock.
“I was so extremely emotional with the whole experience, all I could do was cry.
“I was honestly just so happy to have my family together again.
“I love my family and am so extremely proud of my brother and his willingness to serve and protect our country.”
