Find out how the normally shy Jake reacted when he finally saw his mom:

Most Americans view military service as a point of pride and honor. This is why people will even tell strangers, “Thank you for your service” once they find out the person had served (or is currently serving) in the military.

Despite that, it’s still tough being in the military. We’re not only referring to the rigors of training or the perils of combat. Even within the United States, military personnel often rotate on deployments and overseas assignments are quite common. That translates to months of separation that can lead to feelings of loneliness amongst both service members and their families alike.

This is why reunions between service members and their families are always special. In this particular video from Paul Heling, the McKinley Elementary School in Appleton, Wisconsin decided to team up with a military mom who had just come back from a 9-month deployment overseas. The school had just purchased their latest mascot costume and the mom wore it to surprise her son Jake in school.

After a couple of high-fives and Jake jokingly giving a sandwich to the mascot, the mom finally took off the mask.