Jessica's father, Army Sgt. Jarrett Hunt, had just returned home from Afghanistan after being away since August.
It was an emotional reunion.
"I'm really, really happy because I haven't seen him in a whole year," Jessica told ABC7 Chicago.
"I haven't seen her that excited in a long time. It was hard for me. You know. Almost made me want to cry, but my mother does that enough for me," Sgt. Hunt said.
Hunt's likeness had been attending Jessica's meets in the form of a cardboard cut-out. But the real deal is home on furlough for two weeks.
