The United States military men and women make huge sacrifices when they sign on to put their lives on the line to serve their country. Their families make huge sacrifices as well, as they have to be separated from their loved ones for months at a time, oftentimes not knowing if the person they love is safe or not.

Morgan Richards is a 6 year-old girl who knows about these sacrifices all too well. Her father serves in the U.S. Navy, and he is often away on long deployments. Recently, while she was dressed as Belle from the classic Disney movie “Beauty And The Beast,” Morgan was treated to a surprise that she will never forget!

Dressed in Belle’s gown, Morgan was spotted when “The Beast” offered to dance with her. She had no idea that behind The Beast’s mask was her father Brandon, who had been deployed in the Pacific for the previous six months. When it finally came time for him to return home, Brandon decided to give his daughter an unforgettable surprise.

In the video below this story, you’ll see Morgan’s priceless reaction when The Beast takes off his mask and reveals himself to be her father. She is so happy to see him that she hugs him as tight as she possibly can! Her mother Elizabeth explained that they always try to make things special for their children when Brandon comes home since he is away so much of the time.

“You can’t really bank on when they’re coming home, on the exact time of day, so really, the element of surprise always has to be there,” she said.

Brandon added that he just wants to make every moment that he has with Morgan as memorable as possible.

“It’s just a surreal feeling; to do something that they can remember like this is awesome,” he said. “Just to have that experience, it means a lot.”

Check out Morgan’s reaction for yourself in the video below!