Military Mom Surprises 5th-Grade Son in School Mascot Costume After a Year Apart

An Alabama fifth-grader has never been happier to see his school’s mascot, who turned out to be his deployed mom in disguise.

Kael Lancey, a student at Chaffee Elementary School in Huntsville, couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw his school’s mascot, an eagle, revealing itself as his mom.

Sgt. Desiree Lancey had been deployed to Kuwait for the past year, and hadn’t seen her son since last Christmas.

"It's hard being in the military and being away from them so much," Lancey told WHNT. "But seeing his face, just that initial when I walked in and saw his face, I couldn’t breathe and I was so excited ... just bliss."

Ahead of the surprise, her son, Kael, and the rest of his class were gathered in the cafeteria for a project involving former NASA engineers.

But Kael didn’t stick around for the assignment, as he couldn’t wait to be home with his newly returned mom after she revealed herself as they sang the national anthem.

“It’s rough, but it’s worth it,” Lancey said. “Small sacrifices for a long-term gain.”

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