Red Cross Helps Soldier Come Home For Christmas

A soldier coming home in time for the holidays is always something special, but one Green Country soldier's homecoming is even more meaningful.<br/> He arrived home Friday night at Tulsa International

Friday, December 15th 2006, 7:46 pm

By: News On 6

A soldier coming home in time for the holidays is always something special, but one Green Country soldier's homecoming is even more meaningful.
He arrived home Friday night at Tulsa International Airport. News on 6 anchor Craig Day was there and has the story.

Private First Class Kyle Soval hasn't been home in 18 months.

"No that's not him. Not him it's too big."

For his family, it's hard to wait a second longer to see him.

"Everybody is excited and anxious and nobody could sleep last night," said Kyleâ€™s stepmother Valerie Wells.

With flags and homemade signs, and plenty of anticipation they patiently wait, and wait, and wait. Then finally,

"There he is."

Their wait is over.

"Get up here baby."

Kyle makes it to those he loves. See the man in the Cardinals cap that's Kyle's grandfather Melvin.

"We've been planning on having a big Christmas dinner for him, even if he came home in the middle of summer, but he didn't get to come home, so we'll have it this time," Melvin Wells said.

This is a homecoming even sweeter than most, Melvin Wells has lymphoma, and there's not much doctors can do.

Kyle almost didn't make it home for the holidays. He wasn't able to get regular leave. But because of his grandfather's health, the Red Cross stepped in to help. The agency was able to arrange leave for Kyle.
"We wanted him to be able to see Kyle and Kyle to see him and without the Red Cross that wouldn't have happened," Valerie Wells said.

"I'm just so thankful that the Red Cross did what they did in order to get him here. So I'm just real thankful. I thank the Lord that I know that he was with us. And he's with Kyle and bringing him home," grandmother Sue Wells said.

And for a young soldier, there is nothing like being home for Christmas.

"He's family. Grandpa's family. That's all I got to say about that. Craig: â€˜You wanted to see him bad?â€™ Yeah," Kyle said.

"We're glad to get him back home at least for a few days," Melvin said.

The family celebrated the happy homecoming and birthdays for his dad and little sister all in one big get together Friday night.

Private First Class Kyle Soval will be home for 21 days before returning to South Korea.