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David Goldman / AP
Game to remember: US Air Force Master Sgt. David Sims, center right, of Centerville, Ga., is embraced by his wife Robin, and children, Bree Anna, 10, from left, Brittney, 13, and Dustin, 12, after surprising his family during the fifth inning of a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals Monday, May 28, in Atlanta. Sims returned home from his deployment in Afghanistan
Erik S. Lesser / EPA
The Sims family showers the returning sergeant with hugs in between innings during an Atlanta Braves-St. Louis Cardinals game in Atlanta, Ga., on May 28.
David Goldman / AP
Sims and his wife, Robin, in Atlanta after surprising his family from his deployment in Afghanistan.
Charles Dharpak/ AP
The nation pauses to honor fallen troops.
On the day that we take the time to honor those who sacrificed everything for their country it is wonderful to see the joy on the faces of these family members when U.S Air Force Master Sgt. David Sims surprised them at Turner Field in Atlanta.
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This is soo beautiful to see him come home to his family! Happy Memorial Day USA!!
Our freedom was won by those that made that sacrifice, let us not forget those that made it possible. Welcome home Master Sgt. and for all that served and for those that are still on the lines, Thank you!
Jesus. Why don't we just have a 24 hour news loop of all these reunions. Getting a little old for the general public.
HaHa - you are very wrong. It's never old to see someone come home from war. When my 2 sons came back, repeatedly, it was NEVER OLD. You are a strange person, I think.
Getting old? I am sure that you or your spouse, son or daughter or for that matter anyone in your family served in the military as you obviously don't understand the humble gratitude any military person has when they come home let alone the relief and obvious joy of the families. These people deserve a thank you from people like you who sit on their butt, watch T.V. and complain. By the way, I am sure you have forgotten too, the real meaning of Memorial Day. What right do I have to be irritated? I am an Army Veteran, a Marine Corps wife for twenty years and the parent of a Senior Airman who is proudly serving their country.
Poor Haha!
So sorry you cannot feel or share in the joy of Military homecomings. Sorry you do not understand that these families are never sure when of IF their loved one will come home. Sorry you do not understand loving someone and not seeing them for months of years at a time. Sorry you do not understand how incredible it is for the kids to see their dad or mom home again.
My sympathies to you. Empathy is learned. You can get better.
Great pictures! Tears in my eyes! Love to see joy!
To surprise someone they have to be completely in the dark about whatever that surprise is. To make these reunions work the family member or members of the serviceman or woman must have no idea where their loved is, or what they're doing, or if they're alright at all. This seems a little sick to me and always has. Prey on the worry of death, dismemberment, terrible news, so that a cameraman can get an 'inspirational' story. A feel good spin about wars that have no feel good meaning. Ploy, after ploy, after ploy on the six oclock news to keep Americans 'connected' with what our service people go through. You wanna surprise some military families, then end these pointless @!$%#ing wars and then maybe yes, it would be surprising.
In response to Dustin-2155694:
When servicemembers are deployed, their families have no idea where they are, what they're doing, or whether or not they're alright anyway. These surprised reunions aren't preying on these families' fears at all. No matter what you're doing when you're loved on is deployed, you're always thinking about him/her. And you're always assuming that they're in harm's way, because they probably are. And you fear hearing the doorbell between the hours of 6am and midnight, because that doorbell might be pushed by an officer and a chaplain who are there to tell you that your loved one has been killed in action.
You say that these reunions can only work if the families are kept in the dark. The families are kept in the dark anyway. Any lack of communication or knowledge about their Soldier/Marine/Airman/etc is not on the part of the production company, for dramatic effect. When your spouse/partent/child is deployed, that's just life. And for these families to have the opportunity to not only have a joyful reunion, but for it to be videotaped for them to relive, is a gift.
When families are in the dark it is because of combat operations and high threat levels. When families are in the dark about these surprise reunions it is not because of combat operations or high threat levels, it is because of a photo op. Two different shades of darkness, but darkness none the less. Not knowing may be the hardest aspect of war, I will never agree with keeping a family not knowing, when it is indeed known; that their loved one is safe and coming home. That knowledge, however brief in advance it may be, is a beautiful knowledge worth having for as long as possible. I'm not saying these surprises are evil or completely shady, I just believe it's better to be completely and totally honest with our military families at all times, period. Now, we start bringing Battalions home surprise like, then maybe I'd start singing your tune.
Such joy! Thanks for sharing these wonderful pics and the great story. Hoping for thousands more of these events!
love to see those homecomming pics