CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — With a little help from HEB and Santa, one Corpus Christi family received the holiday gift they had been wishing for.
During HEB’s annual Feast of Sharing event, Marine David Vera made a surprise appearance on stage, reuniting with his family for the first time in months. The emotional moment unfolded as organizers invited him up in front of the crowd, unaware to his family that he was just steps away.
Vera had been away since the day after his 18th birthday, when he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps shortly after graduating high school. His return brought tears, hugs, and cheers as his mother embraced him, a moment caught on camera that quickly became the highlight of the event…