Soldier stationed overseas gives daughter a surprise visit at Algonquin school
By Emily McFarlan emcfarlan@stmedianetwork.com October 26, 2011 9:16PM
U.S. Army Spc. Wayne Simmons tours the Algonquin Lakes Elementary School classroom of his daughter Pheonyx, 7, after he surprised her in class Wednesday following his return from South Korea. | Andrew A. Nelles~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: December 26, 2011 1:48AM
ALGONQUIN — Pheonyx Simmons hadn’t yet circled any words on the word search about energy that she and her classmates were working on when their second-grade teacher interrupted to announce a special guest.
She didn’t recognize him at first, her expression blank for a moment after she turned away from her desk, according to her teacher, Wendy Gentile.
Then: “Daddy?”
U.S. Army Spc. Wayne Simmons surprised his 7-year-old daughter Wednesday at Algonquin Lakes Elementary School here, the first time they’d seen each other after he was stationed in South Korea more than a year ago.
Gentile had conspired with Pheonyx’s mother, Aubree Simmons of Algonquin, to bring Spc. Simmons to the school at 1401 Compton Drive, where he presented his daughter with a pink rose, then took questions from her classmates.
That’s because, Aubree Simmons said, “It wasn’t supposed to be this way. That’s why it’s been so hard for us. One day, Dad was there, and one day he was gone. It was traumatic.”
Spc. Simmons enlisted in the Army early last October after he and his wife both lost their jobs — his in construction, hers in manufacturing — within three months of each other, she said. They lost their house and other things, too, she said.
“He joined to provide for us,” she said.
The family was surprised when Spc. Simmons immediately was sent to South Korea.
He’d left late at night, after both Pheonyx and her now 4-year-old sister Pheobe were asleep, Aubree Simmons said. They thought it’d be easier that way. And they didn’t know he’d be gone so long.
“She’s pretty emotional about Dad. The beginning of the school year was pretty rough,” Gentile said.
The second-grade teacher and Algonquin Lakes Principal Ruthann Ryan helped Pheonyx send her dad emails and photos of things around school, Gentile said. Aubree Simmons gave her the date he would come home, and she made a calendar and started crossing off the days until she’d see him again.
Luckily, her mom said, Pheonyx had the days a little off.
Aubree Simmons kept the surprise going, excusing a phone call Wednesday morning from Gentile as a reminder for the second-grader to bring her “Star Student Week” poster to class. She told her daughters they’d go to the gym after school, then shopping.
When Pheonyx recognized her father in her classroom, she ran into his arms, hugging him tightly. The entire school burst into applause, encouraged by Ryan over the loudspeaker.
The artilleryman is now on leave for 20 days before he returns to South Korea for two months. Afterward, he will be stationed in Kansas until he is assigned to another unit — hopefully, in Germany, he told Pheonyx’s class.
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