A soldier returned from a deployment to surprise his daughter and their excitable dog.
In the heartwarming video, Derek Mullins, 40, a lieutenant with the Army National Guard, is seen walking through the halls of his daughter Lindley’s school.
Then, as he reaches the playground, he clocks a familiar face on the swings across the yard.
When Lindley, aged nine, caught her father’s eye, she immediately sprinted across the playground – sending her shoes flying into the air behind her – and into his arms for a huge hug.
The moment took place 300 days after Derek was deployed to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
After he and his daughter had caught up, it was then time for their German shepherd Jojo’s big surprise.
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As Derek entered a pet resort in their hometown of Wichita, Kansas, Jojo spotted him in the lobby before jumping all over him in excitement.
Derek’s wife, Chelsea, 37, captured the moment on video before sharing the clip online.
The year had been tough, Chelsea said, as while Derek was on deployment, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in February.
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She added: “It was so touching – following the surprise of our daughter, my emotions were at an all-time high.
“Derek was so overjoyed to finally be home and see his family.
“This sweet pup and my daughter are two of the main reasons we got through this year.”
