Kids Surprised By Military Homecoming At Sesame Place

On a sunny Sunday morning at Sesame Place, families gathered at the buffet line for breakfast with Elmo and friends, including Melody Davis and her four sons.

Around 9:45 a.m., the Davis family took their seats prior to the beginning of the show, her sons all sipping from their plastic Sesame cups.

The show began and the kids enjoyed some musical numbers from Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover and Abby Cadabby. Cookie Monster even stopped by the table to take pictures with Melody’s sons. But what would happen next would be the highlight for the Davis family’s visit to the theme park.

A representative from Sesame Place in Middletown came onstage to tell the family that a special guest was at the breakfast that morning. It was the sons’ father: Master Sergeant William Davis, who hadn’t seen his wife or kids for the past six months after being stationed in Africa.

As William Davis walked out onto the stage, his sons ran to him, three of the older sons nudging to get closer to their father. Family and friends began to take photos of the special surprise.

Davis’ four sons, Jesse, 8 years old, Joshua, 6, Judah, 3 and Jacob, 1, all spent a few moments with their dad by giving him hugs and kisses.

“We’ve got to share daddy today,” Davis told his sons.

Davis, 36, of Quakertown, is from the Horsham Air Guard station, part of the 111^th Attack Wing, 270^th Engineering Squadron. This last six-month stint was the fourth time he had been deployed and away from his family.

Taking pictures with his family after the show, Davis said it was surreal being able to see his wife and kids for the first time in half a year.

“There were some logistical issues but we made it,” Davis said, with two of his sons in each arm and the other two close by.

“Better late than never,” he said with a smile.

The United Service Organizations (USO) contacted Davis two months ago with the idea to surprise his kids at Sesame Place.

“I was a little apprehensive at first, but my wife convinced me to do it,” Davis said. “Thankfully Sesame and the USO [were] working together to make this happen.”

Kristen Lowe, Eastern Pennsylvania Regional Manager for USO, said that the USO and Sesame Place were trying to find a returning veteran whose family fit the right age range for Sesame.

“I knew the time frame that William was coming home and I knew the ages of his kids so we immediately thought of them,” Lowe said.

Lowe said that Davis’ flight was delayed but that didn’t stop the surprise from happening. She said it’s wonderful to see families like the Davis’ come together and reunite.

“I’m a military spouse myself, and the fact I know this family, it’s so awesome. I get choked up for it,” Lowe said.

After photos with the Sesame characters, family and friends, the reunited Davis family would spend some more time at the theme park, but Davis’s son Jesse, 8, had a recommendation.

“He wants to go fishing, so maybe we’ll do that too,” Davis said with a smile as he walked back into the breakfast with his kids.