On Wednesday, Dec. 4, at Nixon School, Hallie, 4, and her brother Leo, 3, were making ornaments, when their dad, Mariusz Cieslak, suddenly walked in. The kids hadn't seen Cieslak since he was deployed to Syria 11 months ago. Hallie's face lit up as she gave her dad a hug, Roxbury Public Schools said.
On Thursday, Dec. 19, a family at the Franklin School got their own holiday surprise. During the 4th grade holiday recital, Bennett, 10, Nathan, 10 and Mason, 6, were called up to sing "I'll Be Home for Christmas."
"I know what this is," one of the boys said.
Principal Brian Hamer then introduced a special guest, James Rueter, who had been serving a military deployment overseas. Reuter burst out of a big present waiting on stage, with his sons running and jumping up to greet him as the room broke out in applause and cheers, Roxbury Public Schools said.
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