By Tommy Noel
The Dallas Morning News
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — After nearly three days of travel, the final leg for Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Viviana Molina was down a flight of stairs.
Molina, back early from a six-month deployment in Iraq, surprised her husband, Grand Prairie police Officer Edgar Molina, by interrupting him in the lobby of police headquarters as he conducted an interview with the news media.
The Molinas worked together at the Grand Prairie Police Department until nine months ago, when Viviana enlisted with the Air Force.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many U.S. servicemen and servicewomen deployed overseas have been delayed in returning home.
“I got lucky and got to come home a week early,” Viviana Molina said.
Taking advantage of her good fortune, she opted not to have her husband pick her up at the airport, instead teaming up with Grand Prairie police Officer Clint Boehringer to work out the surprise.
Boehringer prepared the lobby at police headquarters while department spokeswoman Chelsea Kretz notified area news media of the exciting event about to unfold.
As her husband answered questions about Grand Prairie’s National Night Out, Viviana Molina walked out next to him. Failing to catch his attention, she placed her hand on his shoulder.
Stunned, he looked down at the podium before embracing his wife in a long hug.
For a few moments, silence fell over the lobby, and Edgar belted out a “Sorry, guys” to his audience while wiping away tears.
The Molinas then removed their masks and kissed as applause erupted among police employees. And masks then were quickly put back on.
“I’m so glad she’s home,” Edgar Molina said.
The Molinas were high school sweethearts and have been married for 15 years. The couple has three children, who still didn’t know their mother was home.
“This dude is my hero,” Boehringer said of Edward Molina. “Doing his full-time job, taking care of three kids, supporting his whole household by himself, while she goes and serves our country.”
In Iraq, Viviana Molina worked logistics, telling reporters that she moved “people and cargo throughout our AOR [area of responsibility].” She added she’s home for good.
“It’s been a struggle, but we take it day-by-day and communicate as much as we can,” her husband said.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for six months,” he exclaimed before the half-dozen cameras there to document the moment.
When asked what she missed most besides her children and husband while overseas, Viviana Molina declared home-cooked Mexican tacos.
To which Edgar quipped: “You don’t like my steaks?”
Both laughed and suddenly realized they had to make dinner plans. And since marriage is all about compromise, steak tacos seemed a likely option.
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