He surprised his daughter by walking into the school's media center, where her class was having reading time.

Gazeley, who has served two tours overseas, told WSOC that reuniting with his daughter, Autumn, is an early Christmas gift.

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"It just feels unreal to be back now and see my little girl,” he said.

Family members said Gazeley will be seeing a lot more of Autumn after finishing up his responsibilities in Kuwait.

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Inventor Lonnie Johnson stands with his Super Soaker water guns at JTEC Energy on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. Johnson, a former NASA engineer, is currently working on a new energy technology through his company’s JTEC device that turns thermal heat into usable energy. (Natrice Miller/AJC)