Two-year-old Autumn Adair doesn’t say a word. But, her eyes — and her arms firmly wrapped around her father’s neck — tell the whole story.
For most of her life, Autumn knew her father — U.S. Army Sgt. Thomas Adair — primarily through regular Skype chats and photo albums. She was born Sept. 21, 2011, in a military hospital in Okinawa, Japan, and later, while her father completed his yearlong deployment, Autumn got to know Thomas through regular Skype chats. When she missed him, she’d climb up on the couch to talk to a wedding photo of Thomas and his wife, Lauren.
But in this moment — at 10 a.m. Aug. 2, at Fred’s Market — Autumn needs no computer to see her dad. As she settles in on Thomas’ lap, she rests her head against his chest.
Lauren removes her glasses to wipe away the tears. She thought Thomas wouldn’t be back for a few more weeks. But, it was all a ploy. Thomas had driven through the night from Fort Hood, Texas, to surprise his family. And, after they were seated for breakfast, he entered the restaurant in full military uniform and a bouquet of flowers in his hand.
The grand gesture captivated other diners. Several came to the table to thank Thomas for his service. Others give him hugs. Another came by to say she was paying for their meals.
It was precisely the kind of homecoming Thomas had dreamed of since he began his deployment. Two years after graduating from Plant City High School in 2006, Thomas enlisted in the Army. He spent his first few years in Japan and married Lauren on Sept. 9, 2009. About two years later, they welcomed Autumn into their family.
Soon after Autumn’s birth, the Adairs returned stateside to Fort Hood. Thomas later accepted a 12-month deployment to an undisclosed location in Southeast Asia. Lauren and Autumn moved in December 2012, back to Plant City, and Thomas left the states in March 2013 to begin his service. During his deployment, Thomas served as an early-warning system team leader and worked with the Patriot Missile System to provide air and missile defense for a critical asset in the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility.
Thomas spent two weeks of R&R with his family about one year ago. They were reunited again when he returned in March to Fort Hood.
“It has been a crazy ride these past six years, but it is great to be home,” Thomas says. “I am excited to put down roots.”
While serving in Japan and Fort Hood, Thomas earned his associate’s degree in general education through the University of Maryland’s University College. Now home, he will begin studying at the University of South Florida to pursue a degree in criminology, with hopes of beginning a career in law enforcement.
“Hopefully, God will open up a job opportunity for me,” Thomas says. “I always wanted to be in law enforcement.”
Contact Michael Eng at meng@plantcityobserver.com.