WOODLAND — Woodland Middle School celebrated Veterans Day with a special guest, U.S. Army Sgt. Edward Marcus Mayer II, uncle to eighth-grader Abigail Alway. Mayer just returned home on temporary leave after having been deployed for nearly three years.
Principal Russell Evans worked with Abigail’s mom, Christina Hughart, to organize a surprise homecoming for Mayer at the end of the school’s Veterans Day assembly on Nov. 10. Abigail had no idea Mayer was coming home on temporary leave prior to the assembly.
“We were deeply honored to help Christina surprise her daughter in such a fitting way on this special holiday,” said Evans. “We organized the assembly so we could invite Abi up at the end and surprise her with her uncle.”
Hughart posted a video of the reunion along with a thank-you message to Woodland Middle School on Facebook: “Woodland Middle School was absolutely amazing and my family thanks you immensely; we were able to keep it a complete surprise,” she said. “The school helped coordinate surprising her in front of the whole school!”
