UPS surprises South Jersey family with returning soldier

CARNEYS POINT TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- A South Jersey family had extra reason to celebrate this Christmas thanks to a surprise delivery all the way from the Middle East.

Action News went along with a film crew documenting UPS' "Your Wishes Delivered" program.

The big brown truck picked up Cpl. Matthew Morrison of the New Jersey Army National Guard at Philadelphia International Airport Christmas morning. Then, the truck headed straight for his home in Carneys Point.

Just a block away, the corporal and the UPS driver prepared to execute their plan.

Morrison waited in the back of the truck while the driver persuaded his wife and stepson to come outside.

"It's been a very long time since I've seen them both so butterflies are really starting to kick in," Morrison said as he headed toward his house.

The Action Cam stayed back so we wouldn't ruin the surprise, but even far away, you could hear a shout of joy - "oh my God" - from Morrison's stepson Ryan.

Morrison embraced Ryan, then his wife Carolyn, and kissed her belly holding his unborn baby due in March.

"We got married in May, he left in June, found out I was pregnant in July," Carolyn said.

"I really missed him a lot. He really means a lot to me; not seeing him for so long, it really hurt," Ryan said.

Morrison leaves in a few days to finish his one-year deployment. In the meantime, Ryan and family enjoyed the best Christmas present they could ever imagine.

"It beats anything possible, everything, I don't care, as long as he is home," Ryan said.