MILLINGTON, Tenn. — Tuesday, Millington Primary School got to help bring one family, including 7-year-old Langston Kelly, an early Christmas present.
Langston's dad, U.S. Army Cpt. Travis Kelly surprised his son at his first-grade classroom as teachers and classmates cheered. It was the first time Langston had seen his father since April. Since then, Travis has been stationed in South Korea.
“He’s a little bigger than the last time I saw him, but we’ll take it,” Travis said as his son sat on his lap.
For Travis, being so far away from his wife and three kids has not been easy. It was especially hard to be away from Langston, who underwent his final treatment for leukemia in July at Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“We were able to call him on FaceTime, it was like four in the morning there,” said Kendra Kelly, Travis’s wife and Langston’s mother. “We woke him up just so he could see Langston ring his bell and (the nurses) sing their song to him.”
Kendra planned for Travis to surprise Langston.
“It just made my heart melt, because I know how much [Langston] loves his daddy, and so I’m glad they got to get back together,” she said.
Langston could barely stop hugging his father as they prepared to leave school. He was also excited about surprising his big sister.
“His first thought was, ‘I can’t wait for Nora to see him,'” Kendra said.
Travis successfully pulled off the second surprise when they picked Nora up from school.
Langston said getting his dad home was "the best ever" Christmas present, and he couldn't wait to get home with his father so they could play their favorite video game.
Later this week, Travis will be promoted to major, making the 2023 holiday season one to remember for the Kelly family.