It was the moment when a grandmother’s shock wore off and she entered to find her granddaughter, a military veteran, had returned from her service.
Kathy Elceser couldn’t believe her eyes as she walked through the doorway to discover granddaughter Lindsey, 18, waiting for her in military fatigues and holding a bouquet of flowers.
In North Carolina and Virginia, the US Army Private First Class was deployed.
Kathy Elceser didn’t know that Lindsey, her granddaughter from the US Army was waiting behind her door in Rock Island. She thought she was deployed.
Mrs Elceser acted with shock when she saw her granddaughter holding a bouquet of flowers
Lindsey (pictured left) said that she feels very close to Kathy, her grandmother, pictured right
Lindsey (pictured middle) is a US Army private first class and was away for six months.
Lindsey is pictured above with her soldiers, on top of large water containers
Lindsey took some leave after receiving it and flew to Rock Island to surprise her grandma.
Lindsey’s sister Jamie planned the event and filmed her grandmother’s reaction.
Jamie took Mrs Elceser out of the home and smuggled Jamie into the kitchen, where they waited for her with a bouquet.
As the grandmother approached her house, many family members stood by with their phones in order to capture the moment.
Lindsey came forward to help her grandmother carry two large soda cans.
When Mrs Elceser saw her granddaughter, she threw the cups up in shock and ran to hug the soldier.
Jamie shared then the video online, where it was widely shared.
Commenting on her new found fame, Lindsey said: ‘I was shocked, to say the least – but mostly I was just so excited to see her.
‘My grandma and I are really close – we hang out a lot, some days I just come over unannounced if I see that her car is home.
“It was overwhelming. Truthfully, it wasn’t what I expected.
Lindsey is pictured with her grandmother. She said she was amazed at the response on social media to the surprise video that Lindsey gave her grandmother.
Her family members watched as the surprise unfolded around her house.