Teresa Pearson from Cullman, Alabama, knows exactly what it’s like to be the mother of a military soldier. Her son, Austin, had been stationed in South Korea for months with the U.S. Army.

In November 2017, Austin’s fellow soldiers had been denied leave so his family didn’t expect him to make it home for the holidays. It would be their very first Christmas without him and Teresa didn’t know how she would handle it.

What she didn’t know is that Austin had reapplied for leave and gotten his approval. He had told his dad, and the two had planned a surprise for Austin’s mom that she’d never forget.

She and her family headed to a restaurant for dinner, and while there, Austin FaceTimed his mother. It was perfect timing, although Teresa still believed that her son was in South Korea.

When their conversation ended, she relished the few minutes that she’d gotten to speak to her son. Just a few minutes later, the waiter brought her the dinner she had ordered, but it wasn’t really the waiter.

Check out their incredible reunion in the video below and be sure to share this heartwarming story with your family and friends.