ROCK FALLS – Five-year-old Greta Hacker hadn’t seen her father for 5 months. But she got to salute him Monday afternoon.
Her dad, 29-year-old Kyle Hacker, showed up to surprise her at the end of an assembly in the gym at East Coloma School in Rock Falls. He is stationed in Kuwait.
During the assembly, KWQC anchorman Gary Metivier taught students how to salute, among other things. Then he played Lee Greenwood’s “Proud to be an American.”
The school chose five students to stand in front to salute, including Greta, dressed in purple with a bow in her hair. Then the anchorman asked them to give “one more special salute.”
That’s when Greta’s father, in his fatigues, walked into the gym. Kneeling, he stretched out his arms. She ran to hug him.
The kindergartner was speechless. Tears welled up in her father’s eyes.
They hugged for a couple of minutes. Then her 4-year-old brother, Luke, joined in. Their mother, Mandy Hacker, 27, stood a few feet away.
Shortly after, the assembly ended. The family walked to her kindergarten classroom. In the hallway, dozens of students lined both sides holding up American flags.
Kyle will return to Kuwait after a 15-day leave. A sergeant first class, he is with the National Guard’s 1644th Transportation Company in Rock Falls. His unit is helping with the drawdown of troops in next-door Iraq.
His deployment is expected to end in the summer.
A month ago, Mandy said she and her daughter were in a dentist’s waiting room and watched a TV report about how a soldier surprised his daughter. Greta said she wanted her dad to surprise her.
That set the family in motion. Mandy called the school to make arrangements.
Before the assembly, Kyle said it was tough being away from his daughter. He would liked to have been there for her first day of school.
Still, he gets to speak with his children three or four times a week on Skype.
“It’s difficult. We make the best of it,” Mandy said.
The Hackers served in Iraq together in 2004 and 2005. They were engaged at the time.
Article source: http://www.saukvalley.com/2011/12/05/one-more-special-salute/a1tetw1/
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