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Welcome home, Dad

 
Kevin O'Reilly, 12, hugs his dad Patrick O'Reilly after his dad had surprised his son who was returning from a summer camp field trip with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The Dunedin family had a reunion with Dad at CMA after Patrick O’Reilly, who is a diplomat with Department of State and had been away at the American Embassy Kabul for the last full calendar year. Patrick O'Reilly arrived home today and surprised his son Kevin O'Reilly, a 12 year old summer camper at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium who has wanted to share his experience with his father the past year, as he couldn’t stop talking about the animals and the experience at CMA. “That was a great experience to see my day again,” said Kevin O’Reilly. “It’s hard to not have your dad there for a year,” he added. Kevin said he had a pit in his stomach cause his dad was in a dangerous area but the pit in his stomach is gone now that his dad is back home. “We’re back together again,” he said. His family got to visit with Winter and Kevin said it was great to touch a movie star (Winter) and have his dad there too, but he added that having dad there was better.
Kevin O'Reilly, 12, hugs his dad Patrick O'Reilly after his dad had surprised his son who was returning from a summer camp field trip with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The Dunedin family had a reunion with Dad at CMA after Patrick O’Reilly, who is a diplomat with Department of State and had been away at the American Embassy Kabul for the last full calendar year. Patrick O'Reilly arrived home today and surprised his son Kevin O'Reilly, a 12 year old summer camper at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium who has wanted to share his experience with his father the past year, as he couldn’t stop talking about the animals and the experience at CMA. “That was a great experience to see my day again,” said Kevin O’Reilly. “It’s hard to not have your dad there for a year,” he added. Kevin said he had a pit in his stomach cause his dad was in a dangerous area but the pit in his stomach is gone now that his dad is back home. “We’re back together again,” he said. His family got to visit with Winter and Kevin said it was great to touch a movie star (Winter) and have his dad there too, but he added that having dad there was better.
Published July 12, 2014

JIM DAMASKE | Times

Kevin O'Reilly, 12, hugs dad Patrick O'Reilly, who had surprised Kevin when his son returned Friday from a summer camp field trip with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The Dunedin family had a reunion at the aquarium with Patrick O'Reilly, a diplomat with the State Department who had been away at the American Embassy in Kabul for the past year. Kevin, who has wanted to share his experiences with his father the past year, couldn't stop talking about his time at the aquarium. "It's hard to not have your dad there for a year," Kevin said. For a video report, go to tampabay.com/video.