A bride’s jaw dropped in shock when her “military brat” best friend from a childhood spent on a military base in Japan surprised her at her wedding after 15 years apart.
Hannah Sosa, 27, and the bride Kait Ruiz, 26, from West Palm Beach, Florida, lived across the street from each other when their dads were stationed at Camp Foster in Okinawa, Japan.
Hannah said the two families were perfectly matched, with the parents becoming friends, and Hannah, Kait, and their brothers and sister being similar in age.
Being so far from home, the families shared Christmases and Thanksgivings, barbecues and movie nights.
MORE GOOD NEWS: High School Song Team Surprise Coach at Her Wedding
But after three years living opposite each other, Hannah and Kait’s dads were eventually stationed in different states, and the last time the pair saw each other was Hannah’s dad’s retirement from the Marines in 2010.
The friends followed each other’s lives on social media, with Hannah based in Kansas City, Missouri, and Kait living in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Given how close their families had been growing up, Kait invited Hannah and her family to her wedding, but Hannah initially didn’t think she could make it.
Then, when her schedule changed and her father’s girlfriend could no longer attend, Hannah hopped on a plane one day before the big event, acting as her dad’s plus-one.
As Kait posed for photos on February 22, the 26-year-old bride felt a tap on her shoulder, which caused her to immediately turn around and see a familiar face.
When she saw Hannah staring back at her, Kait’s jaw dropped, before she headed in for an emotional hug with her friend, whom she had not seen in a decade and a half.
As both cried on each other’s shoulders, the pair said they were taken back to their childhood on the other side of the world.
Kait said: “She was my very first best friend, and we spent nearly every day together.
“Our friendship gave me a sense of comfort and belonging that I really needed at that time.
MORE GOOD NEWS: Woman Turns Surprise 30th Birthday Party Into On-The-Spot Wedding
“I had absolutely no idea she would be there [at my wedding]!
“Weād stayed in touch over the years through social media, but we hadnāt seen each other in person since we were kids.
“On the wedding day, everything was already emotional and excitingāand then I turned around and saw her standing there.
“I was completely shocked. I think I froze for a second before bursting into tears.
MORE GOOD NEWS: Childhood Best Friends Fight Back Tears as They Reunite Following Cross-Country Move
“It was one of those moments that felt like something out of a movie.”
Hannah added: “When Kait turned around, it was like no time had passed.
“It was the strangest feeling. Here we are in our mid-20s, Kait getting married, and I felt like we time-traveled back to being little girls in Okinawa again.
“I immediately started crying, and she started crying. We were both a mess.
“She was the most stunning bride, and it felt so special to be there with her on her big day.”
