Brandon Matt graduated from high school, completed two semesters of college, then enlisted in the army and headed to boot camp. After finishing boot camp, Matt had two weeks at home in South Philadelphia with his family before he was deployed to Afghanistan for nine months.
His family hasn’t seen him since. Until they were completely taken by surprise on Thursday night.
Matt’s grandmother passed away earlier in May, so the Army granted Matt leave for six days to come home and be with his family. Despite the sad reasoning for the leave, the reunion couldn’t have been more exciting, or more of a surprise for Matt’s mother, Aaliyssa Chanthakhounsy who had no idea he was coming home.
“I’m just so blessed and so happy to be able to hold him a little bit longer,” Matt’s dad, Matti Matt, told NBC10.
In a video of the reunion, Chanthakhounsy screams, then jumps up to run and hug her son.
Matt will return to duty in Afghanistan in a little less than a week.
