Struggling Veteran Never Met Son Until TV Reporter Tells Him to Turn Around 28 Years Later

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A man was on his way to see his long-lost son when he met a reporter from the FOX5 Surprise Squad. Little did he expect her to organize a birthday surprise for him the next day.

In 2015, David Winkelspecht was filling up his tank at a Las Vegas gas station when he was approached by a Fox5 reporter enthusiastically offering to fill up his tank for him. The army veteran looked taken aback at first before accepting the kind gesture.

Then, things took a turn that no one saw coming.

Winkelspecht explained to the reporter that he was on his way to San Diego to meet his long-lost son and his grandchildren, none of whom he had ever met before. His truck was filled with all of his belongings, as he intended to move closer to the family he so desired to know.

Surprised to hear that such a significant meeting was soon to take place, the reporter offered to give him $500.

Winkelspecht instantly teared up.

“Are you serious?” he asked.

He later shared that he had joined the army when he was 17 years old and couldn’t take care of his son.

“By the time I came home after my service time, I lost track,” he said.

Hearing this, the Surprise Squad decided to buy everything in his truck for $1,000, making him emotional again.

Winkelspecht then called his son, David, on the spot, and both said they couldn’t wait to see each other soon.

But a bigger surprise was awaiting them both...

The team invited Winkelspecht to their studio for an interview and learned that both his and his son’s birthdays were just around the corner.

Suddenly, he was told, “We have a birthday surprise for both of you.”

When he turned to his right, in walked his son and his grandchildren. The team had brought them round.

Winkelspecht was instantly reduced to tears as he and David hugged each other. David couldn’t control his tears either.

What a sweet union! Who would have expected an offer to pay for a tank of gas could lead to such a tear-jerking first-time meeting between a father and his long-lost son, and his grandchild?

Be sure to watch the reunion in the video below!