- April 26, 2024
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Chris Washington greets his kids after his surprise homecoming during the Ormond Beach Home for the Holidays parade on Saturday, Dec. 9. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Scott, Logan and Bailey Washington are surprised by their dad, Chris Washington, during the Ormond Beach Home for the Holidays parade on Saturday, Dec. 9. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Bailey Washington reaches for her dad, Chris Washington, after his surprise entrance during the Ormond Beach Home for the Holidays parade on Saturday, Dec. 9. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Scott, Logan and Bailey Washington greet their dad Chris during the Ormond Beach Home for the Holidays parade on Saturday, Dec. 9. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Chris Washington holds his children close after his surprise entrance during the Ormond Beach Home for the Holidays parade on Saturday, Dec. 9. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Seabreeze High School Principal Tucker Harris greets Chris Washington and is family during the Ormond Beach Home for the Holidays parade on Saturday, Dec. 9. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Bailey Washington holds her dad close after his surprise entrance during the Ormond Beach Home for the Holidays parade on Saturday, Dec. 9. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Chris Washington shares a moment with his daughter Bailey during the Ormond Beach Home for the Holidays parade on Saturday, Dec. 9. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Scott Washington hugs his dad, Chris Washington, after realizing he's home for good. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Washington family: Leah, Chris, Scott, Logan and Bailey. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Chris Washington knew exactly how his three children would react upon seeing him show up at the Ormond Beach Home for the Holidays Parade on Saturday, Dec. 9.
He predicted his 9-year-old daughter Bailey would cry. His 12-year-old son Scott would give him a big hug. If he got any reaction out of his oldest, 14-year-old Logan, he would consider it a win.
And that's exactly how it went when he surprised them at the end of the parade.
"I'm home, and I'm not home for two weeks," Washington said prior to the surprise. "This is it. I'm home and I'm home forever. ... I'm hoping they'll be super excited — hoping I can control my own tears."
Washington is retiring from the U.S. Navy after 20 years, having enlisted in 2003. He has been stationed in Cleveland, Ohio, for the past three years, visiting only every six months.
The family moved to Ormond in 2020, but Washington had never seen the local parade, as he usually came down the week of Christmas. This year, all three of his children were in the parade: Bailey was with the Pop Warner cheer team, Scott was with the Pop Warner Sandcrabs football team and Logan was playing with the Seabreeze High School marching band.
About two weeks ago, Washington said, he and his wife were talking about their kids being in the parade and thinking of ideas to surprise their kids with his homecoming when he put those two thoughts together. So he reached out to the city and was able to make the surprise happen.
His wife, Leah Washington, said her children's reaction to seeing their father at the parade was "priceless."
"We're not oblivious to that there's definitely going to be some challenges ahead, but it's worth it," she said.
