1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: Hello, friends, Welcome to Story Behind podcast. This is the 2 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: show for people who love hearing a good story and 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: who believe the world could use more positivity. We're the 4 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: team behind God Updates and God Too, and we hope 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: these weekly short stories will brighten your day. 6 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 2: Proud parents get a surprise visit from their soldier son 7 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:33,560 Speaker 2: after over a year apart. Written by MICHAELA. Gordoni, read 8 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 2: by Julie Provos, the parents of a soldier got the 9 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 2: best surprise ever when their military son made an appearance 10 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 2: at a card signing event in Fairfax, Virginia. The parents 11 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:44,639 Speaker 2: hadn't seen him for a year and a half. They 12 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 2: thought he wouldn't be coming home yet, but their holidays 13 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 2: just got a whole lot brighter. Pfc Patrick Conzel was 14 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 2: able to return home from South Korea just in time 15 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 2: for the holidays with some help from the American Red Cross. 16 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 2: Every year, the American Red Cross selects one family to 17 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 2: have their true home for Christmas, and it was Patrick's. 18 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:03,279 Speaker 2: When you see your side and you haven't seen him 19 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 2: for a year and a half and you're so proud 20 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 2: of him for what he's doing in the commitment he's made, 21 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,479 Speaker 2: said Patrick's father, Mike Kazille, who teared up. I watched 22 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 2: the Army Navy game the other day and I kept 23 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 2: thinking about him the whole time. Patrick's parents were at 24 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 2: an annual card signing for military members when Patrick walked in, 25 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 2: Come here, please, Patrick said, as he walked to his 26 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,120 Speaker 2: mom with open arms. I just I couldn't believe it. It 27 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 2: was such a surprise when you're not expecting it, and 28 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 2: all of a sudden, said Mike. Last year was the 29 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,039 Speaker 2: first Christmas they have ever spent apart. The homecoming was 30 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 2: even more special because the family recently learned that Patrick's 31 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 2: mom has cancer. It's hard to keep together. Patrick said, Obviously, 32 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 2: your mother worries about you the most. Having to hear 33 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 2: from her all the time that she misses me, and 34 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 2: finally being able to see her again, it means everything. 35 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 2: Chris Defely, director of Service to the Armed Forces and 36 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 2: International Services for the American Red Cross, said, during a 37 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 2: time like this, when the family is undergoing additional stress 38 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 2: and then being separated for the holidays, it's really extra 39 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 2: special that he can be here and be with them 40 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 2: during that time. We'll try to pay the Red Cross 41 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 2: back as much as as we can for this wonderful surprise, 42 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 2: Mike said. Obviously, it gets harder the longer you're overseas, 43 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 2: Patrick said, And there are some heroes overseas who have 44 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 2: been out there longer than I have, so it's equally 45 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 2: hard on everybody. When you finally get back home and 46 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 2: see them, it's just pure elation, so tremendous bussing that 47 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 2: Patrick got to spend the holidays at home with his family. 48 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 2: I pray that everyone who is missing a loved one 49 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 2: in service overseas has hope of being reunited soon. His 50 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,399 Speaker 2: girlfriend had sweet memories at bass Pro shops, so that's 51 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 2: where her boyfriend proposed. Written by Heather Riggleman read vegularly provost. 52 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 2: His girlfriend had sweet memories at bass Pro Shops, so 53 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 2: that's where he proposed. Some proposals take place in parks 54 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 2: with a view of the water. Some take place in 55 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 2: restaurants high above the city with twinkle lights and white 56 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 2: tablecloths and a skylight scratch out behind them. But for 57 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 2: this special girl, there was only one place that felt right. 58 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 2: She wanted her proposal to take place in the same 59 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 2: spot where her father used to take her. And for 60 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 2: the girls who loved the outdoors who love fishing and 61 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 2: hiking and wide open spaces. This proposal will absolutely mete 62 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 2: your heart. Shelby grew up in Houston, raised by her dad. 63 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 2: Some of her most meaningful childhood memories weren't made in 64 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 2: the music parks or big vacations, but on long drives 65 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 2: to Bass Pro Shops in Dallas, just the two of them. 66 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 2: My dad raised me, and he took me to Bass 67 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 2: Pro Shops. We would drive all the way to Dallas 68 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 2: to have dinner at the store, and then we would 69 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 2: wait for them to feed the fish in the tank 70 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 2: and watch it. It was so very special for me 71 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 2: growing up. She'll be shared she has always described herself 72 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 2: as an outdoorsy girl, and that store, especially the massive 73 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 2: glowing fish tank, has a piece of her heart. So 74 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 2: when Shelby and Jake began talking about their future in marriage, 75 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 2: Shelby gently made her hopes known. She had dropped multiple 76 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 2: hints to me that she'd always wanted to be proposed 77 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 2: to in front of the fish tank at Breast Post Shops. 78 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 2: Jake said, I thought that's an easy check. Jake planned carefully. 79 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 2: He learned the store in Odessa, Texas, where they live, 80 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 2: is less crowded on Saturday mornings, and on November twenty ninth, 81 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 2: he got down one knee in front of the massive tank. 82 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 2: They both happened to be wearing matching black and white 83 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 2: buffalo plaid shirts, a detail that makes the moment feel 84 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 2: even more tender and perfectly. Theirs worked out better than 85 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 2: I had planned in my head, Jake said afterwards. I 86 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 2: was rehearsing on our way here, but then once the 87 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 2: moment was right, I just took it and pulled her 88 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 2: in and hit my knee. Shelby said yes. The store 89 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 2: staff celebrated with them and even gave the newly engaged 90 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 2: couple a gift basket. Shelby has already started their wedding 91 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 2: where did she at the store, Because some places just 92 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 2: don't sell things, they hold memories. They set their wedding 93 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 2: date for May thirtieth, twenty twenty six. But their story 94 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 2: didn't begin at bess Pro Shops. It actually started in 95 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 2: a drive through. Shelby first noticed Jake when stopping at 96 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,279 Speaker 2: a Scooter's Coffee. One of her students happened to be 97 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 2: working the window that day, and Shelby photo nudge to 98 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 2: send a note to the man in the car behind her. 99 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 2: I felt that he needed to know that God loved him, 100 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 2: Shelby explained, So I asked for a sign and one 101 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 2: of my students was at the drive through, so I 102 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 2: knew she had my back and gave her a note 103 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,480 Speaker 2: as she passed it. On note turned into a connection. 104 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 2: That connection turned into months of phone calls, and those 105 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 2: phone calls slowly grew into the life that they are 106 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 2: now building together. Some love story sparkle because of where 107 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 2: they happened, but the sweetest ones shine because of why. 108 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,279 Speaker 2: And one happened in front of a fish tank because 109 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 2: it was a faithful reminder to her childhood. And that 110 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 2: kind of love, the kind that listens, remembers and honors, 111 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 2: that shapes her, is the kind that last one Corinthian 112 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 2: sixteen fourteen. Let all that you do be done and love. 113 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening to Story Behind podcast. 114 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 1: We're really glad you joined us for this week's story. 115 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 1: To see photos and videos that may have been referenced 116 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: in this episode, check out the links and the show notes, 117 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 1: and if you enjoyed what you heard today, subscribe to 118 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:55,280 Speaker 1: our podcast and please tell a friend about us. We'd 119 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: also love it if you'd rate us and leave us 120 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: a review. It really does help more people find this story. 121 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: Behind is a Salem Web Network production 122 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 2: MHM.