Mom spending first Christmas without army son breaks down — then finds him standing right behind her

Spending the holidays without loved ones couldn't be more heartbreaking. The pain is no less for mothers who have sent their sons to serve the country. One such mother was disheartened to not be with her son this Christmas, who was stationed far away at Travis Air Force Base in California. However, a Christian radio station in Atlanta planned a surprise for her. Jessica Rivera, the mother of Airman Logan Rivera, appeared on the FM radio station 104.7 The Fish Atlanta and asked listeners to write holiday cards for her son, who was living 2,000 miles away, as reported by Good News Network. It marked the first time in many years that she would be spending the festive season without her beloved son. But despite the distance, she made sure he felt loved and cherished.

Little did she know, the radio station was hatching a plan to reunite her with Logan. Apparently, the team at The Fish Atlanta contacted the staff and officers at the Air Force Base and requested that they grant Logan leave and assist in arranging his flight back home. Fortunately, he arrived in time to meet his mother during the live broadcast with host Beth Bacall. Beth introduced Jessica to the listeners and asked her about her first Christmas wish. "My wish was that my 21-year-old son, who is in the Air Force, is big on his country, big on God, and the people he serves. Little acts of kindness mean the world to him, and I just wish that everybody would send him a Christmas card," said Jessica. While she was talking, Logan quietly entered the studio.

While Jessica was oblivious to her son's presence, Beth asked her, "Wouldn't it be great if you could hand-deliver them to your son?" With a heavy heart and tears in her eyes, she said, "It would." That's when Logan said into a microphone, "Turn around," and when she did, she squealed, "Oh my God," while embracing her son in a long, emotional hug. After she regained her composure, she said, "Oh my gosh! I wasn't expecting that." Host Beth consoled her, saying, "You get to spend Christmas with your soldier son." "I do," a teary-eyed Jessica responded as she tried to control her overwhelming emotions. "This was supposed to be my wish for you," she added while referring to her son Logan. 

People on Instagram gushed over the mother and son's heartwarming reunion. @beccaga65 commented, "Thank you (Mom and Son) for your service. Have a very Merry Christmas!" @bingham5146 said, "Incredibly beautiful." @kcbellaboo got emotional, "I'm not crying you're crying!" @livelaughlovelife7165 shared their personal experience, "We are so glad that we know these two. They are a blessing in anyone's life. Logan has been such a wonderful friend to my son." 

But the surprise for Jessica didn't just end there. The radio show's partner, Chick-fil-A Atlanta, an Atlanta eatery famous for its signature chicken sandwiches, salads, chicken nuggets, and more, gifted Jessica with free meals for a whole year. Becall said Logan wanted the focus to be on his mother, and he repeated, "Yeah, I wanted it to be just about you because you have done such a big sacrifice, you know, with me growing up and telling me to always chase my dreams. I wanted to do something for you for once."

Jessica, feeling overwhelmed, hugged Logan and said, "I love you, son." After receiving her gift from Chick-fil-A Atlanta, Jessica expressed her gratitude: "I want to thank each and every one of you guys. This is priceless, and I can't thank you enough."