Airman returns home, surprises kids at school assembly in La Verne

LA VERNE, Calif. (KABC) -- Air Force MSgt. Branden Shepperd's children knew he would be home for Christmas -- but they were stunned to see him 15 days early.

Shepperd, who has been deployed in South Korea for eight months, surprised his children during an assembly at Grace Miller Elementary School in La Verne on Friday.

Shepperd's two young sons were shocked at first, but quickly, big grins spread across their faces, followed by hugs.

"How could he be here? He's in Korea, he won't be back for a few more days," said Logan, one of Shepperd's sons. "And then when I finally noticed, I was like, 'Oh yay dad's here!'"

Shepperd was thrilled to catch an earlier flight home to see his family. Surprising his sons was a highlight.

"It was great, anything to put a smile on their faces -- especially after being apart for so long," said Shepperd. "They are super excited, they're kind of like dad, I don't like a lot of personal attention, all this feels weird being put on the spot."

Michelle Shepperd, Branden's wife, planned the surprise. But keeping the secret was challenging.

"It's so hard, to not slip up. We have a countdown chain at home, so every night the boys cut a loop off of the chain, and it was hard knowing that really there was only two more days left when really there was 15 days left on the chain to them."

While Shepperd was overseas, he missed the birth of his first daughter. When he met her, there was a natural connection.

"When he got to hold her, she just put her head down on his chest and just laid there, like if she knew it was daddy," said Michelle.

Shepperd also made it home in time for an important birthday; Logan turns 10 Saturday.