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5-year-old gets a big surprise from Afghanistan — her mom

 
Army Spc. Somer Struhar embraces daughter Kristina.
Army Spc. Somer Struhar embraces daughter Kristina.
Published Aug. 30, 2013

SPRING HILL — When 5-year-old Kristina Struhar arrived Thursday morning for kindergarten at Wider Horizons School, little did she know what was in store for her.

Just before noon, the door to her classroom opened, and in walked a surprise guest — Kristina's mother, Army Spc. Somer Struhar, who, unbeknownst to Kristina, had just returned from Afghanistan.

Kristina had not seen her mother since last fall.

As they departed the school, the elated mother and daughter were saluted with American flags by Wider Horizons students.

Struhar also surprised her son, 12-year-old Michael Hitt, at the Hernando County Family YMCA in Spring Hill on Thursday.

Her husband, John Struhar, is currently deployed on a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo with the Army National Guard. It is uncertain when or if Somer Struhar will be redeployed.