One of the warmest events is when soldiers return home to their families. This particular story centers around the hero Captain Cody Kermerling and his college-aged twin daughters. Maria and Michaela couldn’t afford to have their father drop them off before college, as he had been in Kuwait for 10 months. However, he specifically attended one of the biggest games of the season at the University of Missouri.

Everyone in the college was involved in organizing the surprise visit. The twins’ trainer convinced them that they would honor their father. Michaela said: ‘We were rooting for a basketball game in Mizzu and we were just told that we were going to represent our father in the Veterans United Heroes of the Day competition and we had no idea he would be there.’

While the girls were hurting on the floor, Michaela grabbed an arm and turned it around. Michaela said, “Suddenly, I felt someone grab me. My first reaction was: who grabbed me, what’s going on? And then I turned my head and realized it was him!”