An entire family was left screaming in shock when their military son returned home from duty to surprise everyone at his brother’s wedding.
Brothers Jake and Billy Winn, from New York, are extremely close, and so it was always Billy’s dream for Jake to be present on his big day.
For the past two and a half years, Jake, 21, has served as a private first class in the United States Army in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, with limited time off.
Jake hadn’t been home for six months, and because the previous occasion he was home was for his stepfather’s funeral – a period of leave that lasted longer than expected – Jake was unsure if he could make Billy’s wedding in the same calendar year.
Having spoken to his leadership, though, Jake was granted the extra time off he requested.
He decided he wanted to surprise his family, and so he only told his father, George, 49, who helped plan his son’s trip home to New York State.
On September 9, at Billy’s wedding at The Barn on Hyder Creek in Richfield Springs, New York, the groom gathered for a family photo with the likes of his sister, Sara, 19.
As the group stood posing, Jake, dressed in military attire, walked in, causing everything to scream in complete shock at the surprise.
Having hugged his brother and then his tearful sister, Jake turned to the bottom of a flight of stairs, where his mom, standing at the top, went weak as she saw her son standing below.
Dad George said: “I had tears streaming down from the time he walked in, seeing everyone’s reaction.
“It was especially emotional with his brother, sister and mom.
“Elation doesn’t even describe how happy that moment made me.
“Seeing my family happy is my life mission.
“The response to the video has been amazing from everyone – and it’s been insane how crazy it grew on social media, with everyone messaging their support.
“I couldn’t be prouder of my family.”
