Walk-on Clemson running back Ty Lucas received a surprise last year before Thanksgiving, and the video is still going viral on social media. And with good reason.

His father, U.S. Army Captain Cody Lucas, had coordinated with Clemson University to surprise his son at the scheduled Military Appreciation Day game– a surprise they kept for nine months. When Cody Lucas finally came home from Afghanistan he went straight to the football field.

He surprised his son as he walked off the field after a pre-game warmup. Captain Lucas got some help from Clemson Football to pull off the surprise. The family was able to spend Thanksgiving together after being apart for nine months.