WINNIPEG — A mom and son were reunited Thursday after being apart for two-and-a-half-years.
The emotional reunion was made possible by Global’s sister station, Peggy 99.1, as part of their Feel Good Frenzy contest. Contestants were asked what makes them feel good, and lucky entrants like Margaret Johnson were chosen to have their wishes fulfilled.
“There are no words when you haven’t seen your child in over two years,” an emotional Johnson said with her arm around her son.
“I thought maybe I’ll get a dinner out of it, or something like that, or tickets to a movie or something. That would be nice to take my mind off it. But I never expected this.”
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Her son, Ian, was secretly flown in from Victoria, B.C., to surprise his mom on Thursday.
“Yes, absolutely! It’s everything and more I could ask for,” he said of the request he received from Peggy 99.1. Ian is a five-year veteran in the Canadian Forces, a career that keeps him busy and away from his family.
“It’s very hard. People that have a job, they disappear for a couple months at a time because they go to Vegas for some company trips,” Ian said. “But this is like six or eight months of deployment, and that’s sometimes, not even having a phone call.”
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Samantha Stevens and Travis Stewart from Feel Good Mornings on Peggy 99.1 stopped by Margaret’s workplace Thursday and surprised her with gift certificates and a video message from her son. But she never expected the surprise that was waiting just outside.
“I don’t think there are any words. I was flabbergasted. I think I just about fainted when he gave me a hug,” Johnson said.