MANSFIELD — First school personnel planned a fake assembly to throw the two boys off track.
His two sons believed Sgt. Ed Rosado would be home the day before Thanksgiving, instead he surprised the two boys at an assembly where students listened to those who had served and wanted to serve in the military.
Rosado, who deployed to Kuwait in March at the request of the U.S. Army, wanted to launch the surprise at a single location, so the other son would not be tipped off.
Mansfield ISD personnel created the subterfuge to help the soldier.
“We had an assembly, and I invited Timberview High School’s JROTC cadets over to present the colors,” Shanee Charles, principal of Gideon Elementary, said in a Mansfield ISD blog post. “We invite Timberview students over here all the time for different events, so it wasn’t out of the ordinary.”
As the assembly was ending, a video of Rosado sending greetings from overseas was played, the post said. While the video played, Rosado snuck into the rear of the cafeteria where he was spotted.
“As soon as I saw his face, I knew it was unbelievable. I was excited,” Janmanuel Rosado, fourth-grader at Gideon Elementary said according to the post.
The father said he was grateful for Mansfield school district staff and their help pulling off his surprise visit.
“It was like the best day of my life,” said Timberview senior Jose Rosado, who was recently accepted into the U.S. Air Force. “I tried to hold back the tears, but I couldn’t help it. Without
my dad, I wouldn’t be here.”
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