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WICHITA, Kan. — A video recently posted online shows the emotional homecoming of a U.S. sailor who surprised his son by dressing as Darth Vader for the boy's "Star Wars"-themed birthday party.
Susie Whyte, the U.S. Navy sailor's wife, said Aiden, 5, had asked for a "Star Wars"-themed party in May so he could dress as Luke and fight Darth Vader.
He did not know at the time that Darth Vader would turn out to be his father, instead thinking it would be his older cousin hiding behind the mask.
Justin Whyte, 33, returned home for 96 hours to surprise his children, who thought they would not see him again until December.
Aiden fights Darth Vader to cries of "Get him, Aiden! Go get him!" until he finally defeats the character, sending him flying to the ground.
"You got him; you better go take his mask off," his mother says.
There is a moment of silence while Aiden realizes who he is looking at before yelling "Daddy!" and wrapping his arms around his father's neck. His sister, Emily, who was dressed as Princess Leia, followed suit.
Whyte is currently deployed in the Middle East on his first deployment, according to Susie Whyte, and the family expects him to be home by Christmas.
"We are counting down the days til he's home!" she wrote for the Welcome Home Blog.
