US Army father surprises four children after hiding behind a Welcome Home banner at airport

Tearjerking moment US Army father serving in Kabul surprises his four children after hiding behind a Welcome Home banner at airport

  • Michael, 15, Ashton, 13, Xavier, 10, and Jolie, 9, arrived in Columbus Airport 
  • Father Captain Patrick Minnich, 39, was deployed in Afghanistan for 7 months 
  • Xavier cheekily declared to his father ‘You’re home? What took you so long?’ 

An army captain surprised his four children by hiding behind a Welcome Home banner in an airport.

Michael, 15, Ashton, 13, Xavier, 10, and Jolie Minnich, nine, were reunited with their father Captain Patrick Minnich, 39 – who had been deployed in Afghanistan – in Columbus Airport.

The children had flown to visit their aunt and uncle in Columbus, Ohio, from Oklahoma City when their father – who had been serving with the U.S. Army for the last seven months – pulled off the surprise.

Captain Patrick Minnich surprises his four children by hiding behind a ‘welcome home’ banner in Columbus Airport

Until hours before it happened, the children’s aunt and uncle Marcia and Jeff Kish, had now idea Captain Minnich would be there.

Michael, 15, Ashton, 13, Xavier, 10, and Jolie Minnich, nine, are reunited with their father - who had been deployed in Afghanistan

Michael, 15, Ashton, 13, Xavier, 10, and Jolie Minnich, nine, are reunited with their father – who had been deployed in Afghanistan

In the clip, the excited children can’t wait to get down the escalator to see their waiting family.

Someone shouts: ‘Michael, wait no, Michael come here!’ 

Waiting by the baggage claim area are family members who cheer as the children arrive.

The banner – that reads ‘welcome home’ – is then quickly dropped and Captain Minnich can be seen standing behind it.

Xavier and Michael quickly run to their father as one exclaims: ‘Daddy!’

They jump on their father and are quickly joined by Ashton and Jolie. 

Onlookers erupt into cheers as Captain Minnich clings to his children.

Xavier jumps up and down in the air with excitement cheekily declared to his father, who had been away since April, ‘You’re home? What took you so long?’

As Captain Minnich bends down to embrace the two younger children, Xavier adds: ‘Why couldn’t it have been sooner?’ 

Waiting by the baggage claim area are family members who cheer as the children arrive

The banner - that reads 'welcome home' - is then quickly dropped and Captain Minnich can be seen standing behind it

Waiting by the baggage claim area are family members who cheer as the children arrive. The banner – that reads ‘welcome home’ – is then quickly dropped and Captain Minnich can be seen standing behind it.

Xavier and Michael quickly run to their father as one exclaims: 'Daddy!' They jump on their father and are quickly joined by Ashton and Jolie

Captain Minnich bends down to embrace the two younger children

Xavier and Michael quickly run to their father as one exclaims: ‘Daddy!’ They jump on their father and are quickly joined by Ashton and Jolie

Captain Minnich had returned from Kabul for a four-week training course in Fort Lee, Virginia.

He was granted time off to visit his family before return to his military commitments. 

He first surprised Mr and Mrs Kish before planning their big surprise for the children. 

Captain Minnich stayed with his family for a week after the surprise, but has since returned to Kabul to continue his deployment until May 2020.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk