A mom having her photo taken with a bouquet of flowers she thought her soldier daughter had sent from deployment cried tears of happiness when she realized she’d photobombed the snap.
Yoamna Rodriguez, 35, a sergeant with the United States Army Reserve from Miami, Florida, said her mom, Idolidia Baez, 59, has been her biggest supporter throughout her military career.
The 11 months she had been based in the Middle East had been tough on the family, with Idolidia constantly worried about her daughter’s safety.
When Yoamna received news she would be headed home after nearly a year, she wanted to plan a big surprise for her biggest supporter.
As Idolidia had no idea her daughter was back in the country, Yoamna wanted the surprise to feel like an everyday occurrence.
On September 3, 2025, at the warehouse where she works, Idolidia was called into her supervisor’s office and presented with a bouquet of flowers, which she was told her daughter had sent.
A member of staff then asked if a picture could be taken to show Yoamna – but, secretly, the sergeant snuck into the room and photobombed the snap.
When Idolidia looked at the image, she noticed a familiar face in the background, screamed, and immediately began to cry with happiness.
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Yoamna said: “The moment she noticed me in the photo, she screamed and immediately started crying.
“We hugged each other, and it was a raw, emotional moment filled with love and relief after so much time apart.
“My mom and I have always been extremely close.
“She has been my biggest support system throughout my entire life and especially during my military career.
“I had been deployed overseas in Kuwait, approximately 11 months, far from home.
“Being away from home for that long was emotionally challenging, especially being separated from my mom and my dog.
“Throughout my deployment, she constantly worried about my safety, even though she always tried to stay strong for me.
“During the reunion, I felt relief, gratitude, and deep love all at once.
“After being gone for so long, seeing her emotions reminded me exactly why I serve and how much family means to me.”
