Gildae had been asked to lead the Pledge of Allegiance, unaware that her mother, Erica Gildae, was waiting behind the curtain. She didn't immediately notice her until Erica walked onto the stage.
"I was kind of shocked when I saw them because, I was really happy because, I thought my mom wasn't coming home for another month. So I was like, really happy when I saw her," Riley said.
Erica Gildae said she had been eagerly anticipating the reunion.
"I was counting the days to see my kids, when we just arrived here, I said, oh, I cannot wait to give them a hug," she said.
Riley began the school year with both parents deployed. Sergeant Erica Gildae had been serving in the Middle East as part of Operation Epic Fury. Airman Brian Gildae was deployed for Operation Southern Spear. He returned in February but soon reported back to his airbase in New Mexico, while Riley and her younger sister stayed with their grandparents in Norwalk.
"It was hard for us to be away from our kids - it was a peace of mind that they were able to stay with my parents and have family and get to experience Connecticut while we were out doing our job," Brian Gildae said.
Erica Gildae also expressed gratitude for the support their children received.
"I appreciate everything that they haven't been doing for my kids. Giving me a peace of mind, being away for eight months and coming back and then see that she's great," she said.
This was Riley's only year at Cranbury Elementary. She has also lived in Idaho and New Mexico. Principal Jennifer Masone said the school community rallied around the family.
"This has been an incredible sacrifice for her family. Her grandparents are very involved, and the school community came to different events and supported her. So really, it was the coming together of a whole family here at Cranbury," Masone said.
With the school year ending, Riley is now officially a sixth-grader. The family, reunited at last, is preparing for its next assignment: a move to North Carolina in two weeks.
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