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Three Shaw children receive surprise visitor

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Daniel Phelps
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SUMTER, S.C. --  Three children from Shaw Air Force Base received a surprise visitor at Kingsbury Elementary School here Feb. 16, 2011.

Shawn Gippe, age 5, and his sister Jessica, age 2, waited outside the school with their father, Tech. Sgt. Christopher Gippe, 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, when the surprise walked up to them.

The surprise was their mother, Tech. Sgt. Audrey Gippe, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

She had been deployed for several months and was back early.

Audrey was injured in a terrorist mortar attack while overseas and was sent home sooner than scheduled, said Maj. A.J. Mullinax, 20th LRS commander. Fortunately, she wasn't seriously injured.

The surprise visit was set up by the father.

"This is overwhelming," said Christopher. "It was hard keeping this quiet (and from) the kids. Up until this moment, they didn't know she was back."

After Shawn and Jessica reunited with their mother, the family went into the school to surprise Tyler, age 7, in his classroom.

There was a look of shock on his face as his mother stepped into his class room. He then ran up to embrace his mother in tears.

"I prayed for you every day," said Tyler.

The whole room was full of smiles as the Gippe family reunited.

"This whole thing was a surprise to me too," Audrey said, and added, "It's great to be able to hold them all again."