Avoca Family Gets Surprise of Lifetime at Chasers Game
Military Dad Returns Home Early From Deployment
-
A family from Avoca, Iowa got the surprise of a lifetime Sunday at an Omaha Storm Chasers game. Video by kmtv.com
video
Omaha, NE - A family from Avoca, Iowa got the surprise of a lifetime Sunday at an Omaha Storm Chasers game.
"My dad couldn't be here. He's gone for a couple more weeks,"said eight-year-old Jackson Zortman.
That's what young Jackson thought anyway. Little did he know that prior to the game we caught up with his dad, Air National Guardsman Rik Zortman, who just got back from a deployment in Mississippi. Minutes later he would surprise not only Jackson, but two of his other kids on the mound.
"It's a great feeling to surprise them like this," said Rik Zortman.
Here's how it happened: before the start of the game, Jackson got the honor of throwing out the first pitch. He was told he was Kid of the Month for the Chasers' Funday Sunday promotion. As the crowd celebrated, Jackson walked to the catcher to greet him and shake hands. That's what he thought he was doing, anyway, but the man behind the plate was somebody else. It turned out to be his dad!
"We can all be one, big happy family again," said Rik Zortman.
Zortman tells KMTV Action 3 News he isn't sure when his next deployment will be. In the meantime, he plans to spend as much time with his wife and three children as possible.
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.