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MUST SEE: Gastonia military mom surprises sons in emotional homecoming

GASTONIA, N.C. — Two Gastonia boys have something else to be thankful for this Thanksgiving after a surprise reunion with their mother, who had been stationed in Afghanistan.

Natascha Adams is a Navy Reserve officer, a single mother and a Gastonia native. She has been in the Reserves for 17 years, currently on her third tour.

Adams spent the past nine months performing administrative work in Bagram, and since the start of the school year she has kept up with her son's classroom work digitally -- chatting with them via Skype and calling their teachers.

Her sons, 11-year-old Kevin Rockemore and 9-year-old Adrian Ragins, have been living with their aunt in Gastonia while their mother has been gone.

Adams, who arrived at her base in Virginia a few days ago, wasn't supposed to return home until Wednesday night. But Kevin made the AP honor roll and Adams decided she had to make it home to attend a special breakfast for honor roll students at Grier Middle School Tuesday morning.

She surprised him during an emotional reunion at the breakfast before the pair headed over to Adrian's school, Sherwood Elementary, where the Physical Education teacher -- who is an Air National Guardswoman -- arranged a special assembly for Adrian.

She brought him up in front of the students and pulled back a curtain and the school watched as mother and son embraced.

Adrian's teacher, Donya Sloop, told Channel 9 that Adams emailed her regularly and called to check on her son's progress in school.

"It's hard enough to get parents that are here in the United States that live in the country to have that parent communication," Sloop said.

After Thanksgiving Adams will return to her home base in Virginia. Her sons will stay in Gastonia with family. They will all be back together at Christmas.

Gastonia sailor Natasha Adams stationed in Afghanistan for 9 months surprises her son at Sherwood Elementary with an early return home.

Posted by Ken Lemon on Tuesday, November 22, 2016

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