The girls were talking about how much they missed their brother who was serving overseas, but they didn’t know that he was only a few feet away.
Life in the military is hard, and not just for the people who are in it. It can also affect the lives of everyone else. Parents, siblings, and friends.
Sergeant Bradley Komar of the U.S. Army National Guard had to leave behind his two younger sisters.
Eden and Jordan Viles had to say goodbye to their brother when he left for active military service, and they didn’t know when they would see him again.
When a family member leaves, it can be hard, and it can be even harder if they are going to a war zone. Even when siblings fight, the love and care for each other never goes away.
Psychologists say that having a sibling in the military is a big deal for the rest of the family and that it changes how the family works.
Even though the Viles girls had each other, they no longer had their big brother to guide and protect them, so they became closer.
The girls go to Winnetonka High School together and eat lunch together. It was at school that they got the biggest surprise of their lives.
The girls knew that a news crew was at their school and that they wanted students to send holiday wishes to military members overseas, so they got ready to send their brother well wishes.
They didn’t know that he was right behind them.
While Jordan was talking about how much she missed her brother, he came up from behind and got ready to say hello.
When asked how he felt about the reunion, Sgt. Komar said, “I think butterflies is a pretty good way to put it.” As he walked up to them, the smile on his face showed how happy he really was.
When the girls saw him again, they were shocked and happy to see him.
Komar threw his arms around their shoulders in the middle of their interview with KMBC 9 and said, “Hey, guys.”
Both girls seemed to take a moment to fully understand what was going on. When they did, they screamed with joy and gave each other a bear hug.
A round of applause broke out in the cafeteria as they buried their faces in his uniformed chest and nuzzled his head into theirs.
“It was surreal,” said Eden, “I can’t believe this is happening.”
In an interview after the reunion, the two girls stood together and talked about how happy they were to have their big brother home for the holidays.
Even though Sgt. Komar will have to go back to active duty at some point, the other two seemed to be enjoying the happiness of the moment with smiles from ear to ear.
It’s not clear if Bradley’s parents knew he was coming home early or if they helped plan the surprise.
People say that having a sibling in the military makes the rest of the family closer.
Families with a military member tend to get together, especially if the kids are young, whether it’s out of pride or worry. They realize how important it is to show how much they love each other. It’s clear that Sgt. Bradley Komar and his sisters love each other.