CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — A dad's big surprise for his son was a year in the making.
"I was nervous, but I was also so happy, I was fighting back tears because I hadn't seen him in a year. I had missed him so much," said Sgt. Perry Chronister.
Chronister was deployed for a year in the Middle East as a member of the Ohio Army National Guard 107th Calvary Regiment.
When he got back home he decided to surprise his 7-year-old son Eli on his first day of school at DeWitt Elementary in Cuyahoga Falls.
"One of the teachers had a great idea. They said, 'how about you put on the mascot costume and we'll have you come in and wave at the kids a little bit' and we did the big reveal," Chronister said.
Chronister dressed up as the school's mascot, the Black Tiger, and went into his son's second grade classroom.
The school staff made sure to capture the heartwarming homecoming from all angles, showing Eli jump into his father's arms when he revealed himself.
"It was just magical, that was the best feeling, the best moment that I've had," Chronister said.
"I was shocked," Eli said.
Chronister told 3News' Bri Buckley that due to where he was located overseas, he couldn't always talk to his son regularly.
"Where I was at, the Wi-Fi was not good. And so some conversations, just some days, we would try and it wouldn't work out and so there'd go long periods of time where I couldn't see him, couldn't talk and it was hard. It was very hard," Chronister said.
Now the two are reunited, taking a family trip this weekend to make up for lost time.
"Its been a long year and I'm just so happy to be back and with my buddy," Chronister said.
Back with an exciting memory to cherish for years to come.
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