Military dad surprises daughter at East Elementary
As the students in Teresa Guardiola’s kindergarten class came back from PE this afternoon, Kaylynn Karl was at the back of the line. When she entered the room, her eyes darted back and forth at the handful of visitors gathered there.
Zach Karl and his daughter, Kaylynn, are all smiles after he surprised her at school on Wednesday. Karl has just returned from his deployment to South Korea. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/ Breckenridge Texan)
The other kids were already going to their tables when Kaylynn spotted one guest in particular. Her mouth dropped open in surprise and she squealed “Daddy!” as she ran across the classroom into the arms of Staff Sgt. Zach Karl. She hadn’t seen him in a year.
Karl just returned from South Korea, where he has been serving in the infantry of the U.S. Army.
“He’s been gone a year, to the day,” said Karl’s mother, Debbie Karl. “He left on Feb. 5 (2018).”
Zach Karl arrived back in the U.S. on Tuesday, Feb. 5, and had a chance to see his son, Kayden, age 2½, that night. But, he didn’t get to Breckenridge until Wednesday, Feb. 6, so his visit to Kaylynn’s classroom was a complete surprise to her.
Also on hand for the reunion at East Elementary was Karl’s grandmother, Elaine Goswick.
After the initial hugs, Kaylynn took her daddy around the classroom to introduce him to her classmates and show off some of her school work.
Debbie Karl said her son will be in town for a few weeks and will then be stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen. He has been in the DMZ (demilitarized zone) between North and South Korea.
Kaylynn Karl proudly shows her dad, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Zach Karl, around East Elementary on Wednesday afternoon. He had just arrived in Breckenridge from deployment in South Korea and surprised her with his visit. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Story by Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
Cutline, top photo: Kindergartner Kaylynn Karl runs into the arms of her father, Zach Karl, who surprised her with his return from South Korea. It had been a year since they had seen each other. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Help support the Breckenridge Texan’s local news coverage mission
The Breckenridge Texan, a non-profit news outlet serving Breckenridge and Stephens County, Texas, has launched its annual NewsMatch fundraising campaign, running through Dec. 31, 2024.
As a non-profit news outlet, the Breckenridge Texan depends on donations, in addition to ad sales, to fund daily operations, including website costs, freelance writers, and basic office expenses. The organization aims to raise $4,000, which could be tripled to $12,000 through various matching programs, including the NewsMatch program and the Rural Partner Fund, which is supported by several major foundations.
Founded in 2017 by journalists Tony Pilkington and Carla McKeown, the Breckenridge Texan provides daily local news coverage, weekly newsletters, photo galleries, a community calendar, and obituaries. The outlet serves both local residents and people outside the community seeking information about Breckenridge and Stephens County, including potential new residents and businesses. They chose the non-profit structure to maintain local control of news coverage while minimizing the financial burden on the community.
In addition to regular news coverage, the Breckenridge Texan also offers:
A weekly newsletter that delivers a roundup of recent stories via email every Monday
Photo galleries from local events
A Calendar of Events, which lists upcoming community activities
Local obituaries
And more
Donations can be made through the Breckenridge Texan website’s donate page, the NewsMatch campaign page, or by mail to Breckenridge Texan, P.O. Box 1228, Breckenridge, Texas 76424. The organization operates under the fiscal sponsorship of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), which is the name that will appear on donation billing statements.
If you believe local news is important and love the work we’re doing, please contribute today!
Click here to make a donation.
Thank for your support.
Make a donation
