http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090130/ap_on_fe_st/odd_birthday_surprise

DAYTON, Nev. – Gabriel Hurles' sixth birthday party wasn't a surprise, but his present sure was. The kindergartner was so engrossed in the cupcakes his mother brought to his class on Wednesday that he didn't notice the enormous wrapped box off to the side.

"That's one big, giant present," a 6-year-old classmate told him. "See what you got, Gabriel."

Gabriel peeled back the wrapping paper to find the surprise of his young life — his father, an Army mechanic back in Nevada on leave from his second tour in Iraq.

"It's my dad!" he announced to his classmates at Sutro Elementary School in Dayton, a few miles northeast of Carson City. "Hi, Daddy."

Army Spc. Casey Hurles, 23, hadn't seen his son since he left in June. When he learned his leave would coincide with his son's birthday, he hatched a plan to hide out in the 4-foot-tall box.

"It was such a rush of emotion," said Hurles, who said he got butterflies in his stomach while waiting in the box.

After Hurles sat down and ate a cupcake with the birthday boy, teacher Dawn VanSickle presented him with a banner from the class that read, "Welcome Home. Thank you for your service."

VanSickle said she was happy to arrange the reunion in her classroom.

Aww...that's cool.

aww! :D

Makes me wish my cousin Jamie could come back to us like that :crying:

Makes me wish my cousin Jamie could come back to us like that :crying:
Awwww...:bighug:

Awwww...:bighug:

2 years this April

Cute story it was probably the most touching gift related story I have heard.

It's such a sweet story, isn't it? :D

2 years this April

I'm sorry about your cousin.

I saw this. What a sweet story...I almost posted it myself, but you beat me to it. Your homepage is perchance yahoo, is it Monika? :p

Makes me wish my cousin Jamie could come back to us like that :crying:
I'm sorry, Lauren. :(

I saw this. What a sweet story...I almost posted it myself, but you beat me to it. Your homepage is perchance yahoo, is it Monika? :p
How did you know, Ashlee? :lol:

How did you know, Ashlee? :lol:
I see you posting a lot of stories from there. It's my homepage, too. It comes in handy. :lol:

I see you posting a lot of stories from there. It's my homepage, too. It comes in handy. :lol:
It sure does. :lol:

I am happy for 6-year old Gabriel Hurles but sad for your cousin, LuLu

His father seems a bit young to have a 6-year old son

His father seems a bit young to have a 6-year old son

17 is young but fathering a child at that age isn't all that unusual and from all accounts it would appear that he's upheld his responsibility admirably which is more than I can say for some teenage boys. Both of my parents were 19 when I was born.

17 is young but fathering a child at that age isn't all that unusual and from all accounts it would appear that he's upheld his responsibility admirably which is more than I can say for some teenage boys. Both of my parents were 19 when I was born.
Very well said - there are men a lot older than that who have shirked their responsibilities as fathers.

Thanks you guys :)

And Lee, my parents were 20 and 21 when I was born. :)

I was going to comment on the age thing, because damn that's young. I was 17 too when that kid was born. I bet the dad was a high school senior at that time in '03 (I was, too) so I hope the parents at least graduated on time. :)

From that story, though, it sounds like the kid's parents are still together and happy, and that is always a good thing. Too often, teen couples have a kid and then the child never sees their father again. That really sucks for the child. :(

That is a really awesome story! What a cool birthday present to get. :D

I saw that story. How sweet :happyface

How sweet. Thanks for sharing. :)