An 18-year-old soldier was reunited with his biological father at a training installment in Missouri, U.S. Army officials said.
Pfc. Brayden Sumare arrived at Fort Leonard Wood in July to complete his initial entry training when he said he noticed something “oddly familiar” about his bay leader whom everyone called “Pops,” according to an Aug. 28 news release from the Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office.
Sumare offered only his last name to the bay leader who was filling out a roster of new arrivals, according to officials.
“Brayden Hunter Sumare?” the bay leader responded, according to the release.
“How did you know that?” Sumare asked, “bewildered” that the bay leader knew his full name, according to the release.
“I’m William Reeves,” the bay leader — Sumare’s biological father — responded, officials said.
Army officials said the father and son had met four years prior for the first and only time but looked very different, with Reeves sporting long hair and a full beard instead of his present buzz cut and clean-shaven face.
“It was unbelievable,” Reeves said. “What are the chances we both joined the Army and were at Fort Leonard Wood at the same time for our training?”
“As I watched him interact with other people, I saw familiar mannerisms. It was like looking in a mirror,” Reeves told Army officials. “I got to learn a lot from him, and I think that is really cool.”
Sumare called seeing Reeves “one of those weird life things” but said he was glad he could help his biological father prepare for basic training.
“I got to tell him goodbye, good luck and give him a hug,” Sumare said. “I think it is awesome that he joined.”
Reeves told Army officials that he and Sumare’s mother were young when Sumare was born and that their “lives had gone in different directions.”
Reeves said he supported them financially but didn’t want to disrupt the strong family unit Sumare had with his mother and adoptive father, according to the release.
Sumare is completing advanced individual training with Company C, 58th Transportation Battalion, learning the military occupational specialty of 88M Motor Transport Operator, officials said.
Reeves is with Company D, 35th Engineer Battalion, training to become a 12C Bridge Crewmember, according to officials.
“I like to joke — I am going to build the Army’s bridges, and he is going to drive his truck over it,” Reeves said.
Fort Leonard Wood is about a 140-mile drive southwest from St. Louis.
___
(c)2024 the Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.)
Visit the Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.) at www.mercedsunstar.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
