GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – A Webster Elementary School student took the stage for her turn to play the piano in front of her classmates on Friday. But the regular lunchtime event was all but your typical performance.
What 3rd grader Isabella Georgia didn’t know while playing Jingle Bells, is that her dad was sitting backstage. Army Platoon Leader Anthony Pinchuk has been in Afghanistan since November 2018. Pinchuk walked up behind his daughter and tapped her on the shoulder.
“I was really surprised because when I turned around, there he was!” Izzy says.
Izzy quickly finished the song before leaping into her father’s arms.
“She was just shocked. She didn’t know if she should stop playing, because she was told she had to play the song and she wanted to get the job done. I commend her for that because she was doing phenomenal at it. It was just great,” Pinchuk tells WTAQ News.
When asked how she felt, Izzy simply says “I’m happy that he’s home”
Her father replies, “I’m happy to be home.”
Pinchuk says he is home, at least for the foreseeable future. So what’s next for the reunited family?
“We’re going to have some fun together, that’s for sure. Some plays are in town that we’ll probably go see, check out some of the things Isabella likes to do around the area,” Pinchuk says, “That’s the most important thing, just reassimilating into life.”
That’s something Pinchuk hopes spending time with Izzy and her one-year old brother will help him successfully do as he returns to life in Green Bay.
Pinchuk adds that he found out he would have the chance to surprise Isabella just two days before the big show. He credits school administration for setting up the plan so quickly.
“It was great for the family. Being away for so long has been tough on her and for myself. So being able to bring us together in such a special way from the school district and Webster really made it great for our family,” Pinchuk says.
Oh, and as for the performance – Izzy and Anthony received a standing ovation from students and staff.
