Cottonwood family gets an early Christmas surprise in a giant wrapped box

Photo by Michael Burke

Elise Hogan, 15, of Cottonwood and her sister, Katie, 13, tear open an appliance box after unwrapping their father, U.S. Army Major Eric Hogan, 47, who arrived home several months early on Tuesday, Dec. 22, from his second year-long deployment to Iraq.

An otherwise unremarkable gift exchange party Tuesday, Dec. 22, turned into an extraordinary surprise for the four children of a Cottonwood family.

Inside a large, gift-wrapped appliance box, the Hogan youngsters found a life-sized G.I. Joe, only this time it was their father, U.S. Major Eric Hogan, who returned home several months early from his second year-long deployment to Iraq.

In on the surprise was their mother, Patty Hogan, who picked up her husband at the Redding Municipal Airport while the children were being entertained at the party.

The re-united couple had time for a romantic dinner alone before they drove to the party location at a friend's house to await a pre-arranged diversionary tactic.

The fully-wrapped box, which days before had held an upright freezer had an opening at the back through which Hogan, still dressed in his military-issued desert camouflage fatigues, was able to squeeze while the youths were all outside looking at stars.

When the partying youngsters returned inside the residence, the hostess invited the four Hogan children to unwrap the last remaining present, a nearly 6-foot high box graciously provided by Steve's Appliance in Cottonwood, Mrs. Hogan told the Valley Post.

"When Eric was first deployed to Iraq, the pre-deployment training and the post-deployment briefing meant that his 12-month commitment was actually extended out to 15 months or so," said Mrs. Hogan, 43, who works full-time as a nurse practitioner in the emergency room at Mercy Medical Center in Redding.

For her husband's second deployment, she and the children expected Eric Hogan to return in March or April, she said.

However, due to changes in policy following the election of Barack Obama, the military now attempts to keep to the original 12-month deployment schedule.

"When Eric told me in November that he would be home just a few days before Christmas, we decided to keep it a secret from our kids as a way to surprise them for the holidays," she explained.

"It was a fabulous experience. It's been a wonderful thing to plan for the past few weeks," Mrs. Hogan said.

The logistics became a little tricky when Eric Hogan delayed an extra day in Germany and then another day in Iceland. A third delay at Fort Lewis near Seattle, Wash., nearly derailed the Tuesday night surprise, but Eric was able to catch a 5 p.m. commercial flight into Redding that fit into the timetable, she said.

While waiting for the church activity leaders to get all of the children out of the party house to "see the stars, the same stars that Joseph and Mary saw on the first Christmas," the Hogans even had a few minutes to spend alone in a parked car, Mrs. Hogan said with a light laugh.

Finally allowed to open the over-sized gift, "the boys went to town and quickly tore off all of the paper," she recalled of the surprise finally revealed.

"When Elise saw her father's name tag on the uniform, she said, 'I think I'm dreaming.' She didn't think it was real," Mrs. Hogan added.

Amid the hugs and tears of a joyful reunion, the church gift exchange was quickly forgotten, at least by the Hogans and all those who knew them.

Images of the Hogan reunion were captured by professional photographer Michael Burke, who also works in the marketing and publicity department for Mercy Medical Center.