Welcome Home, Sgt. Sanchez!

On Tuesday, Jan 7, Sgt. Alexander Sanchez surprised his sons Jaxiah and Isaiah Sanchez at school after returning home from a recent deployment. Jaxiah is in 3rd grade at Elmwood Elementary, and Isaiah is in 6th at Elm Middle School.

Sgt. Sanchez serves in the Army Reserve and was based in Kuwait on this deployment, conducting missions in Jordan and Iraq. While overseas, he worked as a food inspector, ensuring all stages of the food supply chain for the U.S. military and other NATO forces were safe. His duties included testing perishables for impurities like yeast, mold, and E. Coli, monitoring food temperatures and expiration dates, preventing pest infestations, and ensuring everything arrived on time. While off the base, he worked in food defense, guaranteeing convoys between Iraq and Kuwait were externally protected and that all transfers and food inside remained safe and stable. 

Sgt. Sanchez deployed in February 2024 and was scheduled to return in March 2025. However, his unit efficiently completed their mission and trained their relieving unit quickly. This success brought him home sooner than expected, shortly after Christmas. 

The boys were out of town with their mom when he returned home, giving Sgt. Sanchez time to settle in and plan how to surprise them. Sgt. Sanchez and the boys’ stepmom, Marina, coordinated with Elm and Elmwood to surprise them when they least expected it. 

For Isaiah, Sgt. Sanchez surprised him during his band class. Isaiah said it was fun to enjoy the surprise at school with his classmates. 

“When he first walked in, I was shocked,” Isaiah said “I didn’t know what to do. It was such a surprise!” 

Sgt. Sanchez said he initially wanted to do the same with Jaxiah in his classroom, but Elmwood had a much bigger idea in mind. They proposed Sgt. Sanchez surprise Jaxiah in front of an assembly with the school, and he was thrilled by the idea. 

With the plan in place, the 3rd grade class was brought into the auditorium, and after a few minutes of usual assembly programming, Elmwood Principal Matthew Lerner called Jaxiah down to the floor. 

“I didn’t know,” said Jaxiah. “Mr. Lerner called me down and I was going no no no no no!” 
It took coaxing Jaxiah’s entire classroom (who were in on the secret) down and then prompting them to turn around to find his dad standing in front of them. Jaxiah ran right over as soon as he realized who was standing there. 

“I heard Jax yell, ‘That’s my dad!’ and that’s when it got real,” said Sgt. Sanchez. “I’m very thankful the schools allowed me to do this and welcomed me home!”

The whole family, including Sgt. Sanchez’s two stepdaughters, celebrated a belated Christmas together that they had saved for his return. They spent the first evening home opening gifts and playing games together - Jaxiah’s favorite thing to do with his dad. 

“It was priceless to me because it still felt like the holidays,” said Sgt. Sanchez “It’s a welcoming feeling to come back home and rekindle what I was missing out on. I didn’t get to make it to things like Isaiah’s 5th-grade graduation, but we are just trying to catch up on whatever lost time we can now that I’m back home.”

Along with returning to his family, Sgt. Sanchez has returned to his civilian job with the Chicago Park District. While there was a bit of a culture shock returning home from the Middle East, he is ultimately grateful to be settling back in and is even cherishing the snow. 

“I'm fortunate to be able to be back and tell my story a little bit,” he said. “A lot of soldiers don’t get the opportunity to share, or to even make it home.” 

Sgt. Sanchez thanks everyone who supported Isaiah and Jaxiah while he was gone and helped him coordinate his surprise return. He also thanks everyone who takes the time to hear his story. Elmwood Park thanks Sgt. Sanchez and all service members for their service.