Mom on Leave From Afghanistan Tour Surprises Daughter at OCHS

junior Emmie Henton looked up from a gym-class discussion of Pickleball rules on Wednesday morning to see something she didn't expect: Mom.

Army National Guard Sgt. First Class Thresta Schlachter and her daughter embraced for the first time since Schlachter was deployed to Afghanistan in January.

The surprise reunion was a touching moment and served as a reminder that many fathers and mothers across the nation are living in harm's way in service of their country.

Henton knew her mother would be home on leave, but she expected her later in the week. The meeting was arranged by Schlachter and her husband, Cliff Schlachter.

The Schlachters, Henton and her sisters, Thresta White and Madison Kohler, will be able to go on a cruise to Bermuda before Schlachter returns to duty at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, where she works in supplies.

Schlachter (then Thresta Archer) was a member of the Ocean City High School Class of 1982. She enlisted before she graduated, received her GED and has served 29 years in the military.

She expects her deployment to end in December or January, when she will return to active duty with the National Guard in New Jersey.