A surprise reunion following a year-long separation from loved ones can overwhelm even the most disciplined, battle-hardened Marine with emotion.
Gunnery Sgt. Fort Taylor recently returned from a year-long deployment in Afghanistan, and didn't expect to see any family members at his homecoming.
“Because he is stationed in California and our kids and I live in Maryland, he didn't think that anyone would be there when he returned. But I showed him!” wrote his wife, Sara Taylor, in the caption of a YouTube video she posted last month of their emotional reunion.
The video shows Taylor greeting his fellow servicemen, oblivious to the fact that his wife is nearby, practically in front of him. When he finally sees her, he puts a hand to his face and quietly starts crying as his wife comes forward to embrace him.
Taylor noted she wanted to turn the usual military homecoming story on its head.
"The media is full of military men and women surprising their families upon their return from deployment, but it is very rare to see a military member get surprised by their loved ones," she wrote.
Taylor ended the video with a message to her husband: "I will always be waiting for you."
Editor's note: This story was originally published on Dec. 1, and was updated on Dec. 4 to include a TODAY segment on the Taylors' YouTube video.