(NECN/CNN: Michelle Meredith) - A soldier's return home from Afghanistan is one his wife won't soon forget. And he likely won't forget her joyous reaction when he surprised her at a Florida restaurant.
The big surprise happened at the neighborhood Chick-Fil-A in Eustis, Fla. where Amy Reed, 24, was awaiting her dinner.
She knew her husband, Army Sgt. Chris Reed was coming home from Afghanistan soon, but she didn't know when. So Amy's dad hatched a plan to stage a reunion at Chick-Fil-A.
Family night on Tuesday has helped Amy get through her husband's third deployment.
"You still have your moments, where it's still rough. It's still hard…and you still cry," Amy said.
But on October 14, at dinner time, when Amy thought an employee was bringing her food she had just ordered - it turned out to be Chris.
"I was so speechless I started screaming," Amy said.
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Just about everyone at the restaurant was in on the plan, except, of course, Amy. Her reaction was priceless.
"I honestly could not believe it. I thought it was a dream. I thought If I screamed I would wake up," Amy said.
"It started off with her just screaming and… and then she just shedding tears. Then everyone started shedding tears... it wasn't a dry eye in the place," said her father.
Chris just left to report back to Ft. Drum in New York. In May, the family will transfer to a base in Missouri. But the bottom line - no more deployments.
