SAND SPRINGS, Okla. — Four Sand Springs boys celebrated Veterans Day with a shocking homecoming from their very own hero.
Ryan Quinnelly, who has served with the United States Military for 14 years, surprised his boys at school after a nine month long deployment.
WATCH: Sand Springs father surprises sons with emotional Veteran's day homecoming
To start the day, Pratt Elementary School held their annual Veterans Day program. The assembly honored all military branches — Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Marines — giving each the recognition they deserve. But Principal Mrs. Douglas wanted to honor different heroes too.
“Here at Pratt, we have many students now and in the past who have been part of military families," she said. "Some of you have moved from one base to another, made new friends, spent holidays, birthdays or special moments while a parent was away serving our country. That takes a special kind of strength."
That included the Quinnelly brothers: Bryson, Tristan, Canyon and Presley.
As their classmates honored the boys' strength to get through every moment of the last nine months without their dad, they had no idea their hero was about to walk through the door.
“After 9 long months apart, Ryan Quinnelly is here at Pratt Elementary," said Douglas.
There wasn't a dry eye in the assembly, as those four boys made up for nearly 300 days of missed hugs.
Ryan and his wife had been planning this moment for three months. Nine months of anticipation all built up to this moment.
"I was just sitting there with my heart beating out of my chest," he said. “Elation. Just straight excitement, you know. I can’t explain it.”
The surprise worked — blindsiding all of their boys. Including the oldest of the bunch, Presley.
“Well, when they said he was here, I was already crying, but I was really happy," said Presley.
Ryan has been in the military for 14 years, being deployed multiple times in that time. But, he said this time may have been the most heartwrenching thing he's ever done.
“The first time I didn’t have kids, the second time I had a couple of them, but not this," he said. "With all four of these guys, it’s been incredibly challenging. Missing sports, missing family events, birthdays, holidays, it’s been incredibly challenging.”
The reunion brought all of the boys to tears.
“I was crying," said Tristan. "I really was excited for him. Excited for you to come here.”
When the boys were asked what comes next now that their dad is home, it was Tristan who had the perfect answer.
“I bet we’re gonna have lots of family time," he said.
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