Soldier surprises kids at school concert just in time for Christmas
DURHAM -- A Durham father returning from a nine month tour of duty in Kuwait surprised his kids Thursday at Spring Valley Elementary School after the annual winter concert.
"It's funny because I'm up there in harm's way a little bit and I'm more nervous here than I am in Kuwait," Capt. Aaron Jeffries told ABC11 backstage.
Jeffries arrived in town Wednesday from Kuwait, but he and his wife Natasha kept their plan two months in the making a secret. Thursday night some of his son's teachers and the principal were gift-wrapping him into a box to disguise his identity.
"I already have a smile on my face and I'm just ready to see them and hug them and kiss them," beamed Jeffries.
The 30-minute concert featured the kids singing popular Christmas carols along with live instrumentation. One of the performers was Jeffries 6-year-old son Martin.
At the end, Principal Barbara Parker and staff wheeled in a big box.
"I want you to help me, and I think I want you to help me with this big, big present," Parker exclaimed, tapping Martin as one of the helpers to unwrap the gift.
To Martin and the rest of the kids' surprise, Jeffries emerged from the box dressed in his fatigues sporting a huge grin.
"I felt good, I can't even explain it, I can't explain it. It felt great," Jeffries said immediately following the surprise.
Jeffries' daughter Saraya who is a freshman in high school, screamed and cried.
"I don't even know what I want to do right now, but I really missed my dad," Saraya exclaimed.
Jeffries, a reservist, who is a scientist at Bayer CropScience in Research Triangle Park, is home off-duty until Jan. 10. He will spend some of his time in Fiji and Australia with his wife.
"He's only going to be home for about three weeks, so we just got to cherish those times and hopefully the next time it'll be for a longer period," said Natasha.
Martin, who overestimates his dad's time away, will probably appreciate the visit most.
"When I had conversations with Martin he said his dad had been gone for 295 years," explained Daunte Marrow, Martin's after-school teacher.
