Photo By Lesley Atkinson | Lindsay and Caroline daughters of Col. Beth Prekker and Rick Prekker sit and talk...... read more read more
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FORT LEE, Va. (Jan. 12, 2017) -- Two military daughters in the local community were surprised at Cosby High School by their mother’s early return from a deployment Jan. 5.
The reunion was orchestrated for Caroline Prekker, a sophomore at CHS, and Lindsay Prekker, a junior at Old Dominion University.
Col. Beth Prekker was due to return from a yearlong Iraq deployment in late January. Along with help from Anne Canipe, a history teacher at the school, and their father Rick Prekker, a retired Soldier, she wanted to give her children a day to remember.
Under the guise of a lecture about veterans and the students’ future plans, Canipe invited the local media to share the “good things that are happening in Chesterfield.”
Lindsay was set to talk to the students about college and the application process, and there were plans to video conference Prekker for an inside look at military life while deployed.
During the lesson, Canipe tried to skype Prekker, but the class thought there was a technical issue when she did not pick up the call, not knowing Prekker was waiting in the back of the room to surprise her daughters.
She came out and the daughters leaped from their chairs and ran to her with excitement and big hugs.
“I have so much adrenaline going right now; I am shaking,” said Prekker. “It is so good to be home, to be able to be with them, to have somebody to do things with. I missed them a lot.”
The daughters had no idea they were going to be surprised.
“I kind of thought it might be happening,” said Caroline. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up though.”
Lindsay had not seen her mom since last winter break.
“When I stood behind the column, it was so hard not to start crying,” Prekker said. “I was just so excited, and thinking let’s just get this over with, I want to see them.”
It was hard to keep it quiet, according to their father.
“The girls have gone through five deployments and every time it is a new experience,” said Rick. “A surprise reunion is a great welcome and always fun.”
The girls have found the toughest part of the deployments is not having their mom around.
“It has gotten easier the past couple of years to stay in touch because of technology,” said Lindsay. “In the earlier years, we would be lucky to get a phone call but now we can video chat, email and make phone calls.”
Prekker had been waiting for almost a week to return from Fort Hood, Texas, however the holiday had pushed Soldiers home early. In order to do the surprise, she had to wait. In addition, she had flown in the night prior but stayed at a hotel waiting for the following day.
After leave, Prekker plans to head back to Fort Riley, Kan., where she is stationed, but she hopes to have orders cut for Fort Lee soon.
The Prekkers agreed it is hard being apart, but the time they are together is quality time.
| Date Taken: | 01.12.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 01.12.2017 08:34 |
| Story ID: | 220195 |
| Location: | MIDLOTHIAN, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 162 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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