A soldier who returned home after nearly a year overseas surprised his son for a very special reunion that was caught on tape.
Being away from your parents is never easy, and for nine-year-old Luca, he knows the struggle all too well. His father, Staff Sergeant Rob Cesternino, has been serving in the Tennessee National Guard in both Jordan and Syria since May of 2018. WSMV News in Nashville was on hand to capture their emotional reunion.
How exactly did they pull this off? Luca's instructors had him sparing three different opponents while blindfolded. The final "sparring partner" — his father — came in while Luca was still going at him, not realizing it was his father.
The family spoke with WSMV after their reunion. The boy was filled with emotions and said that he wasn't positive it was his dad at first, and that "I miss him so much." The gym was filled with friends, family, and teammates, and for Luca, it meant the world to see the support for his father.