Rosemount 4-year-old gets her Christmas wish: her dad
EOD 2 Jesse Ward surprised his four-year-old daughter Ilona at the Apple Valley American Legion Friday. Ward has been deployed since June and drove from Virginia to see his daughter.By: Emily Zimmer, Rosemount Town Pages
- Photo: Surprise
When Jesse Ward’s daughter Ilona sat on Santa’s lap last weekend, her request brought tears to anyone within earshot. All Ilona wanted for Christmas was to see her daddy. She was even willing to give up her birthday, Easter and Halloween to get to see him
Ward is a member of the Navy’s elite Explosive Ordnance Disposal and has been deployed since June, so the chances seemed slim. But a fortunate turn of events, had the four-year-old opening a box with a six-foot-four sailor in it on Dec. 21 at the Apple Valley American Legion.
The scene brought tears to many of the more than 100 people who gathered at the legion to watch the scene unfold.
“She was stunned,” said Ilona’s mom Erin Delaney.
Ward is home for two weeks. After the New Year he will have to return to Virginia for training and then he’ll be deployed again. For Little Lonie though,Santa came through with the best gift ever.
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