Oklahoma Airman Surprises Wife On Mother's Day

We love military homecomings here at News On 6, especially when there's a surprise involved. That's why we had to keep one Green Country airman’s secret this Mother's Day weekend.

“Excitement, happy to be home” Maj. David Rasmussen said. “Happy to be on grass instead of sand and rock.”

Rasmussen came back to Oklahoma and had no one to greet him... just the way he planned.

“I just walked through the airport quietly and kind of stayed to the side,” he said.

Rasmussen and his men returned home from Afghanistan, but he told his wife he wouldn't be back until next week.

“My wife has always watched those welcome homes and always gets teary-eyed and does all that, so I wanted to surprise her,” he said. “But I didn't figure there was any way I'd be able to do it, schedule it from over there.”

With the help of his in-laws, his wife, Carol, got a wonderful interruption at dinner.

“My wife will cry,” he said. “She'll be mad at first, because I didn't call and let her know that I was at the airport, but I think the excitement will be there.”

Only two relatives knew about the plan, so almost the entire room was surprised.

“I'm just speechless,” Carol Rasmussen said. “I'm completely and totally surprised. I've missed him so much.”

His daughter and son say it's hard when dad's deployed, but it's worth it.

Carol said she wore her husband's wedding ring around her neck while he was deployed.

She's glad she gets to give it back on Mother’s Day.

“I couldn't imagine a better Mother’s Day present,” Carol Rasmussen said.