Marine Surprises His Mom at School After 2 Years Apart
Paula Riggs had no idea her son was home from his tour of duty in Japan.
— -- A U.S. Marine sergeant who spent the past three years stationed in Japan surprised his mom at her elementary school by seeing her in person for the first time in two years.
“It was a moment I’ll remember forever and always,” Paula Riggs told ABC News.
Riggs, a third-grade teacher at Schrader Elementary School in New Port Richey, Florida, was with her class in the school’s music room last Thursday when the school’s principal asked whether she sang to her two children when they were younger.
As Riggs began singing the songs she used to sing to her son, Sgt. Paul Riggs, 24, and her daughter, Jennifer, 26, Paul Riggs walked into the room.
Riggs said she did not even know her son was back in the United States. The surprise was orchestrated by Jennifer, who had heard her mother say that she wanted one of the soldier-reunion surprises she loves to watch on the Internet.
“I had told her months ago that I see all these wonderful surprise reunions with military people and I cry every time and I told her, ‘I could have one of those,’” Riggs recalled.
Riggs was allowed to take four days off from work to enjoy time with her son. Sgt. Riggs will now be stationed in Virginia, much to the relief of his mom.
“He’ll be in the same time zone,” Riggs said.
