ALBION, N.Y. (WKBW) — An Albion Central School District first-grader received a big surprise on Monday.
The district said Sergeant First Class Michael Landauer, who has been deployed overseas for the last year, was reunited with his daughter Nova.
According to the district, Sgt. 1st Class Landauer helped organize the surprise for his daughter who is a student at Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School.
"Mr. Epperson read a story about how to handle 'worries' and led a discussion about people the students missed. After Nova shared she was worried about her dad and would give him a bear hug when she saw him again, Mr. Epperson asked if anyone else had something to share and Landauer stepped through the door saying he 'missed his little girl, Nova'," the district said.
Sgt. 1st Class Landauer has served in the National Guard with Bravo Company 3rd Battalion,126th Aviation Regiment, for the last 14 years. He left home on January 22, 2023, for Fort Hood before being deployed to Iraq where he served as Platoon Sergeant and oversaw operations of a CH-47F Chinook heavy helicopter platoon for nine months.
“It has been a very hard year. It’s the first time I have been away from her [Nova] for that long since she was really little, it means a tremendous amount to be able to spend time with her.”
Sgt. 1st Class Landauer is on leave through mid-March.
