Returning soldier surprises his children after Vail-Leavitt show
The Riverhead Faculty and Community Theatre’s recent production of “Last Stop … Broadway” had a surprise ending at Vail-Leavitt Music Hall.
And it had nothing to do with the plot.
At the conclusion of the play, when the full cast was being introduced to the audience, one additional introduction was made — for someone who wasn’t a performer.
Technical Sergeant Kevin Moos had just returned that Friday afternoon from a six-month tour of duty in southwest Asia as a security forces member for the 106th Air National Guard in Westhampton, where he is a reservist.
His introduction to the audience came as a particular surprise to three of the cast members: his kids.
“It’s the first time they’ve seen me in seven months,” Tech. Sgt. Moos said after his big appearance. “It was very moving.”
His oldest daughter, Kyra, 13, “was three people away when I popped out from backstage, and she just ran up and hugged me,” he said. His other two children, daughter Kaelin, 12, and son, Connor, 8, were in the audience and also ran up on the stage when they saw him, he said.
“It’s great to be recognized, but I wasn’t looking for that,” Tech. Sgt. Moos said. “I was all teary-eyed and everything, so I didn’t really want to display that to the community.
“But it was really nice. I got a standing ovation.”
Tech. Sgt. Moos said he had communicated with the show’s producer, Christine Springer, on Facebook and told her he’d be arriving that afternoon,
“She didn’t want me to upset the cast by showing up an hour before opening night,” he said. “So at the end of the show, they introduced me to the audience and I surprised my children on stage.”
Tech. Sgt. Moos has been with the 106th in Westhampton for more than 20 years.
He had left for training on Feb. 10 and headed out a month later on a tour of duty in Southwest Asia.
He said he’s home “indefinitely” now and hopes to retire soon.
