Monica Palao was on a family trip in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, when her daughter Cristina suggested recording a message for her brother, William Peters. The family believed William was serving with the U.S. Army in Germany and couldn’t be there. But as they began filming, William made a surprise entrance, leaving Monica stunned and overwhelmed with emotion.
She recalls, “I felt dizzy for a while afterwards… I told him he could not play those tricks on me anymore!” Monica’s joy was palpable, especially considering the family’s limited contact during William’s five-year Army service. Often, due to lack of signals or his training, they couldn’t communicate, which Monica describes as “terrible times.”
Though the touching moment occurred in December 2022, Monica recently shared it on social media. She remembered, “I told Cristina and William, ‘I think our video would make people happy. Can I share it on Instagram?’” The video resonated with thousands, making it go viral.
