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Army parents serving country overseas reunite with kids at Yankees game

 
Captain Elizabeth Gomez, left, holds back tears as she waits with her husband, Chief Warrant Officer Jose Gomez, in full Yankees' catcher gear for the ceremonial first pitches from her daughter Isabella, 5, and son Daniel, 10, before the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. on Sunday, March 26, 2017. Both of the Gomez' have been deployed for the last nine months and surprised their children at the game.
Captain Elizabeth Gomez, left, holds back tears as she waits with her husband, Chief Warrant Officer Jose Gomez, in full Yankees' catcher gear for the ceremonial first pitches from her daughter Isabella, 5, and son Daniel, 10, before the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. on Sunday, March 26, 2017. Both of the Gomez' have been deployed for the last nine months and surprised their children at the game.
Published March 27, 2017

TAMPA — It's a scene that never gets old, and it remains hard not to tear up as it unfolds.

Daniel and Isabella Gomez were told they were chosen to represent all the kids with parents serving the U.S. military overseas by throwing out ceremonial first pitches at Sunday's spring training game at George M. Steinbrenner Field between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees.

That much was true.

But they were also told their two catchers would be Yankees players.

That was a fib.

After 10-year-old Daniel tossed a strike and 5-year-old Isabella bounced her pitch, the catchers removed their protective masks and unveiled themselves.

They were their parents, Jose and Elizabeth Gomez, who had been deployed nearly a year in Kuwait and Iraq, respectively.

"This is really crazy," Daniel said later during a brief news conference. "I don't believe this is happening."

Elizabeth Gomez, a captain in the Army, was weeping before her daughter even threw the ball to her.

Jose Gomez, a chief warrant officer in the Army, wiped a tear from his son's cheek with his index finger as they hugged at the mound to an ovation from the fans.

"This is surreal," the children's mother said. "It's a dream."

The family resides in Houston but the kids have been staying with Jose Gomez's parents, who live in Tampa: Miguel, a 24-year Army veteran, and Amarillis Gomez.

Jose and Elizabeth Gomez were reunited in the United States about a week and a half ago. Keeping their kids in the dark on their whereabouts since then was emotionally difficult, they admitted.

When they arrived in Tampa on Saturday night, it was even harder to not rush to see their kids.

Ultimately, Jose and Elizabeth Gomez agreed, it was worth it.

"Nothing beat this reunion," Elizabeth Gomez said.

The children said they were earnestly surprised.

A little before noon they began waiting in the dugout for their moment to throw out the first pitch and appeared to be nervous.

Isabella, wearing a Yankees jersey along with a blue skirt and gray leggings, paced back and forth, the tassels on her pink high- tops bouncing up and down.

Daniel, his blue and yellow sneakers dangling a half-foot from the ground as he leaned back on the bench, nervously played with a baseball in his left hand and fidgeted with his flatbrimmed Yankees hat that accentuated his jersey hanging untucked over his gray shorts.

When Yankees manager Joe Girardi struck up a conversation with him, Daniel beamed with excitement over meeting a hero.

Around 12:50 p.m., they were brought to the pitcher's mound. Through a video message shown on the outfield screen, their parents said they'd be home soon.

When asked what she thought upon seeing her mother in front of her just moments later, Isabella only said, "Yes."

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As for what's next after the game — the family wants to eat ice cream, watch movies and catch up on one another's lives.

And they hope their reunion serves as a message to those children who miss their parents away from home as they serve this country.

"All the military kids can certainly know they are not the only ones," Jose Gomez said. "It's tough, but it can be done."

Contact Paul Guzzo at pguzzo@tampabay.com. Follow @PGuzzoTimes.