Military Cousins Surprise 81-Year-Old Grandmother By Returning Home For Thanksgiving

Dan and Alycia Howard left their grandmother in tears when they surprised her for Thanksgiving after months apart.

Two cousins in the military surprised their 81-year-old grandmother for Thanksgiving - and her priceless reaction was caught on camera.

After finding out at the last minute that he was not on duty, Dan Howard, 27, flew from Great Lakes Naval Station in Illinois, where he is a dentist at boot camp, to Long Island, New York. His cousin, Airman First Class Alycia Howard, 28, made the trip from her base in Idaho.

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Alycia, who had devised the plan, only told her dad, stepmom and brother, who offered to help pull off the surprise. Her brother drove Alycia and Dan to Thanksgiving dinner, but arrived a little late.

"He went in ahead of us and said there was a couple in the car who had nowhere to go for Thanksgiving," Dan told INSIDE EDITION. "He said the couple were coming in, but then it was us."

Their elderly grandmother, Ann, couldn't believe what she was seeing. Alycia's stepmom caught her shocked reaction on camera.

"She had tears in her eyes," Dan said. "She had tears of joy."

His mom also had no idea he was coming back.

"She had called me but I told her I was busy and would talk to her later. She probably thought I meant on the phone," he said, laughing.

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They had a great day catching up, he said. Dan has not been home since he started training over the summer, while Alycia was last back for Christmas 2014.

"Everyone was overwhelmed," said Dan, who won't be able to return for Christmas. "I've never seen them react like that."

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