NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Five deserving families are getting a behind the scenes look at the Tennessee Titans practice, the players and the facility.
"I love football," Alex McFarland said, " and I want to be an NFL player, so it's just like seeing what I'm preparing for and how I can adjust to what this is."
"I've never seen a professional team up close before," Christopher VanAlstyne added.
They're military families, each with a loved one serving in the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade in Afghanistan. Sgt. Douglas Storey, Sgt. Andrew Payne, SFC Sydell Taylor, SFC Christopher VanAlstyne and CW4 David McFarland signed their families up for the experience.
"I'm proud of what he does, but it could be hard sometimes," McFarland explained about not having his dad around.
After watching the team's walk-through practice, getting autographs and a personal tour from Coach Mike Munchak, the last stop was in the team auditorium. That's where the families were surprised with their loved-ones who joined them via a satellite feed from Afghanistan.
"The tears come when you see him just because it's happy tears," Pam McFarland explained. "It's good to see him. It's good to see that they're safe."
One by one, the families approached the mic. Bouts of laughter were mixed with heartfelt sentiments. The children told their parents how much they were loved and missed. They shared the excitement about their day and thanked them for the opportunity. The spouses also expressed their love, telling the soldiers to stay safe.
It's been months since they've been together.
"They got fifteen days of R&R and he went back in early September," Pam McFarland said about the last time she saw her husband. "We haven't seen them since."
It will be a few more months more until they meet again.
"He's coming home next February, hopefully in time for my birthday," Christopher VanAlstyne said about his father's return.
Military families have learned how to wait.
"Ninety to 100 days, so we're counting down now," Stacy VanAlstyne said. "We're counting days now and not months."
Days like this make the wait a little more bearable.
"It was amazing to see him, to talk to him since he's overseas," Alex McFarland said. "It's amazing."
There was one more surprise. All of the families have been invited to Sunday's Titans game against the Cincinnati Bengals. They will watch the game from a suite and will be recognized at halftime on the field. It's all a part of the Titan's Veterans Day tribute
Cortland Finnegan signs autographs for families.
The families were surprised with their loved-ones who joined them via a satellite feed from Afghanistan.
