Soldier’s early return surprises unsuspecting stepson at school

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While standing in front of his class next to his teacher, Laurie Traut, six-year-old Tyson Jorissen is surprised Thursday when he sees his stepdad, Spc. Travis Duffy, walk in the door. Duffy is on leave while being stationed in Kuwait and surprised Tyson several days earlier than he was supposed to be home.
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John M. Steiner / The Sun Tyson Jorissen hugs his stepdad, Spc. Travis Duffy, who is home on leave from Kuwait and surprised the kindergarten student Thursday morning in the classroom.
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Kindergarten students sign a welcome home poster Thursday they presented to Spc. Travis Duffy, who is on leave from Kuwait.

Talk about it

Six-year-old Tyson Jorissen spent Thursday morning in school coloring an American flag to send to his stepdad in Kuwait as part of a gift basket.

In fact all 19 students in Laurie Traut’s kindergarten class were coloring for the gift basket for Tyson’s stepdad, Spc. Travis Duffy of the 188th Engineer Company Family Readiness Group of the North Dakota National Guard.

Tyson said he wasn’t sure what he’d tell his stepdad upon his return, but said it would probably be “I love you.” Then, at 9:30 a.m., Duffy walked in more than a week early, surprising not only his stepson but the entire class.

Tyson’s mouth dropped and his face turned red as he came up and embraced Duffy, who arrived after a 16-hour flight from Kuwait.

“I couldn’t believe it was happening,” Duffy said afterwards. “It doesn’t seem real yet.”

Tyson spent his first month in school before Travis was deployed for seven months.

While in Kuwait, Travis spent his time rebuilding buildings and thinking about Jamestown.

“I was wondering what it was going to be like,” he said. “I didn’t know what to expect.”

Travis is on a two-week leave before heading back to Kuwait for another five months.

For the next two weeks Duffy said he plans to relax and do the things he hasn’t been able to do the past seven months.

“Spend time with my family,” he said. “It really hasn’t hit me yet.”

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455

or by email at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, school, military