A Navy aviator was in for a surprise after returning home ahead of Christmas from his third deployment in three years.
Patrick Brennan of western Kentucky has been stationed in Japan since the spring of 2022, serving as a weapon systems officer in an F/A-18 fighter aircraft.
His wife, Cecilia Brennan, told Fox News Digital that her husband often shares with her how he misses his friends and hobbies, specifically hunting.
Brennan said her husband even mentioned planning a hunting trip sometime next year or in 2026 but that he never expected to take one this year.
“I was catching up with his best friends and keeping them in the loop. They told me they were going on their yearly duck hunting trip to Fowl Plains Outfitter. They were thinking about driving from their home in Virginia to Kansas, and I asked if they would want to stop by in Kentucky,” Brennan said.
Fowl Plains Outfitters is located in Great Bend, Kansas, offering duck and goose hunts.
“Turns out, the same time they would be driving through Kentucky happened to be the same time my husband would be back from deployment. I asked if they could make room for one more. It was God’s perfect timing,” Brennan said.
She packed all of his clothes and hunting gear and “gifted” his belongings to him for Christmas.
In a video posted to her Instagram, which reached 1.5 million views, Brennan captured the moment she tricked Patrick and told him his friends were stopping at their home to “drop something off.”
The serviceman’s friends are seen entering the house decked out in their hunting gear.
After catching up with the men, Cecilia Brennan takes out her husband’s suitcase to reveal that he is also going on the trip.
“Having his best friends knock on the door was a surprise enough, but to actually be going with him, he was in shock. I still can’t believe we pulled it off,” she said.
Patrick embarked on a five-day trip with his best friends for duck hunting.
Cecilia and Patrick Brennan have a 6-month-old daughter, and Cecila said that for the majority of the year, she and her husband had been apart due to his service to America.
“After all he has sacrificed, he more than deserves a chance to relax and recharge before he dives head-first into family life,” she said.
She added that she is her husband’s biggest fan, and that includes supporting his hobbies.
“Nothing brings me more joy than knowing he’s happy. And now, we will be having duck for Christmas.”
