This airline pilot just gave his military son the best homecoming surprise ever

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Washington, D.C.-based airline pilot Mario Lopes grabbed the opportunity to pilot a military flight to Norfolk, Virginia April 14 – the same day his son, 1st Lt. Mario Lopes, was scheduled to arrive home from Kuwait – on the off-chance his son was aboard and the pilot could surprise the military officer.

ABC News has the story:

“I told my wife that this couldn’t be a coincidence,” Lopes said. “No one could confirm or deny if he would actually be a passenger on my aircraft, but I knew I had to take the chance and find out.”

When the day of the flight came, Lopes briefed the crew about his plan to surprise his son and asked for their help in distracting him.

“I gave my lead flight attendant Audrey a bag of Mario’s favorite cookies to distract him while I tried to sneak onboard,” Lopes told ABC News.

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