Texas soldier returns from Afghanistan to surprise his 3 kids

Air Force Master Sgt. Jeremy Freeman landed at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base and went to his kids' schools to surprise them. The children were worried that they were not going to see their father at Thanksgiving.

"It was a blast," Freeman told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "They didn't think I was coming home for two weeks."

Freeman appeared at a pep rally at the high school of his oldest daughter, 16-year-old Lauryn, who is a junior on the girls’ basketball team.

“She was really emotional,” said April Freeman, Jeremy’s wife of 18 years.

The Freeman’s youngest son, Stanley, 10, a fifth-grader, also attended the pep rally and was equally emotional.

“He threw all of his stuff down and came running,” Jeremy told the Star-Tribune.

Daughter Makenzie, 13, an eighth-grader, also got a surprise visit at school.

“She saw him and took off running and jumped into his arms,” April told the newspaper.

April Freeman said it was hard keeping the “surprise for weeks,” but said it paid off in a big way.

“I was, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ ” April said. “It was exciting and emotional to see them surprised.”

Jeremy, 37, is a jet engine mechanic who also served a four-month tour in England. He will be stationed locally and plans to retire from the service next year.

The Freemans will be enjoying a traditional dinner with family in Cleveland, Tennessee, where Jeremy and April were high school sweethearts and married soon after graduation.

“We’re going to celebrate at my mom’s,” Jeremy said.