TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) -- For thousands in the military, coming home for the holidays is just a wish, but one young man from Perry made the trip back to surprise who he calls his "second family."
19-year-old D'andre Wells knew joining the U.S. Army was what he wanted.
"I could do something better with my life, travel the world and provide from my family," he said.
The 2016 Taylor County High School graduate has been in basic training in Missouri, leaving behind a group he's considered a "second family" for years.
"They took care of me when I was down struggling, and they've always been there for me, supporting me through everything," Wells said.
The "family" is a group of friends and siblings who call Wells a "brother."
"He is really nice to me," said Paityn Clark, 7. "He takes me to the bowling alley and everything else."
"If we ask to go anywhere, he will just drop everything and come," said Alexis Bell, 16. "He's just that kind of person. He puts everyone else before himself."
"They treat me like my family treats me," Wells said. "They love me, they care for me."
The family hadn't seen D'andre for five months. They kept in touch, sending handwritten letters and care packages. They said they worried about him every day, wishing for him to come home.
"It made me really sad," Clark said. "I was like, 'Please don't go, please don't go, please don't go.'"
They weren't expecting him back for the holidays, but Wells had other plans.
Just before Christmas Eve, the family took pictures with Santa at Governor's Square Mall. Wells popped out behind Santa's chair.
"I was the first one to just jump up and squeeze him to death!" Clark said.
"All I could do was cry," Bell said. "I had just my face covered. All I could do was cry."
"I started to cry a little bit. It felt like home," said Wells. "I felt like I was back safe."
Wells will be home in Perry until January 3. He has six weeks left of basic training before he heads to Louisiana.
