The recorded message from Sergeant Scott Faile to his wife and children moved the entire crowd at this weekend's big game at University of South Carolina’s Williams-Brice stadium.
After winning a competition to be the Military Family of the Game, Tammy Faile, 41, and her two children Breanna, 15, and Cameron, 10, were over the moon about receiving a message from Sgt. Faile from his posting in South Korea.
But after the message had been played on the big screen, an even bigger surprise awaited them as Sgt. Faile stepped onto the stadium in full camouflage gear to greet his family in person.
A very emotional video recording of the Sergeant First Class's stunt was posted on YouTube this weekend, and has been viewed over 383,400 times in three days.
It shows Tammy, Breanna and Cameron being cheered on by the 86,000 strong crowd which had gathered at the stadium on Saturday to watch the game between Scott Faile’s favorite team, the South Carolina Gamecocks, and the University of Georgia’s Bulldogs.
After the announcer introduces the family and the message from Sgt. Faile, emotions overcome mother and children as they watch their beloved family member greet them from his base in South Korea.
‘Hey guys, I love you and I miss you,’ Sgt Faile, from Kershaw, South Carolina is heard saying in his message.
‘I really would like to be there to watch the Gamecocks beat up on Georgia. Just keep in mind my tour is over soon.’
What his emotional family does not know is that although the message is from South Korea, Sgt. Faile himself is only feet away from them, preparing his surprise entrance.
As he walks onto the stadium, Breanna can be seen shouting ‘Oh my God!‘ before she starts running towards her father – but in a bid to get to her husband before her daughter Tammy grabs her by her Gamecocks shirt, pulling her back.
We’re just over the moon,’ Mrs Faile said. ‘He’s such an awesome man. For him to do something like this, the words that he said on that video, he just completely blew me away.
‘I know how wonderful he is, but now the whole world knows.’
Sgt. Faile had returned home from South Korea, after completing his third tour of duty. He had previously served in Afghanistan and Kuwait. The family is now stationed in Augusta, Georgia.
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TXT 24
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