Fred Grooms III knew his father had duties to fulfill for his country. Even though it was tough to watch his father get deployed and spend many days missing him, he understood.
As the man of the house, Fred looked after his mother, Garnet, and his sister, Gabrielle, and he endured.
Fred did well in school and excelled in sports. He was a freshman defensive back at Helena High School.
Now, Major Grooms was scheduled to go home last November 2021 but asked permission to go home earlier.
He wanted to come home early so he could attend his son’s football game.
As a father, he wouldn’t miss his son’s event.
Not just that. He planned everything without his son knowing. He wanted to surprise Fred, and he knew how to do it.
The plan? He was to wear a football official’s uniform and then walk the whole fifty-yard line during the coin toss of his son’s event.
To do this, he had to talk to many people and create a fool-proof plan. Going home from Kuwait to Helena, Alabama, was the first step.
A day before the Helena JC football game, Major Grooms snuck to his home just before dawn.
There, his wife helped him hide from their kids.
Once the kids went to school, he came out and started the second phase of his plans. As Fred III was in his class, his father came to the school to get fitted with his officer’s uniform.
They found the right football official’s uniform for him.
Later that afternoon, he came back around 5 p.m., and again, he hid in a small room in the field house.
Then the JV players headed back to the football field. That was Major Groom’s queue to sneak unto the sidelines.
He wore a mask and a cap, so no one would recognize him.
You won’t even think he was there since he blended so well. Everything was going according to plan.
Just before 6 o’clock that night, Major Grooms, disguised as one of the football officials, walked to midfield.
Just then, Fred III joined his teammates at midfield. They were getting ready for the coin toss.
Then we hear a slight giggle. Fred III didn’t notice that. He was serious and was listening to his coach.
The disguised Major Grooms can’t help but giggle a little, but Fred was just looking around, maybe looking for the person who was giggling.
Just then, Major Grooms took his mask off and giggled again.
The father and son embraced tightly.
Fred’s father came home to watch his son play football. A father’s love for his son is really something else.
For Fred, this is something that he will remember for the rest of his life.
According to WVTM 13’s Rick Karle, Major Groom only had to serve one more year before retiring.
This means in just a few months, he’ll come home and be with his family permanently. We’re pretty sure he’s looking forward to this.
Watch the touching surprise below and don’t forget to share this with your friends and family!
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