Iris Viveros and her brother Neymar (Courtesy of Cobb County School District)
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A U.S. Army soldier reunited with her three school-age siblings across three Cobb County campuses on Tuesday following a nine-month deployment at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
What we know:
Iris Viveros, an active-duty soldier who graduated from Cobb Horizon in 2022, walked through local schools in full uniform to stage the emotional visits ahead of Veterans Day.
Viveros serves in the Army under Military Occupational Specialty 12C, working directly alongside engineers to build bridges, clear routes and handle tactical explosives.
A hip injury granted her brief medical leave from her base in Missouri, freeing up time to surprise her two brothers and sister in their classrooms and lunchrooms.
She mapped out visits to Osborne High School, Belmont Hills Elementary School and Pearson Middle School.
What they're saying:
"My heart was racing; I didn’t know what was going to happen. I knew they missed me, but I just didn’t know how they’d react," Viveros said.
Her younger brother, Neymar, spotted her entering the Pearson Middle School cafeteria and ran across the room to wrap his arms around her.
"I was so heartbroken when she left," said Neymar, a sixth grader at the middle school. "I haven’t seen her in a long time, and I was so excited. I was crying a little bit, but they’re happy tears."
The entire cafeteria erupted into applause as students and faculty welcomed the alumna home and thanked her for her military service.
"I didn’t know he was going to start crying, but I know he has a soft heart, so it was really nice to see my little brother," Viveros said.
The backstory:
Before enlisting in the armed forces more than two years ago, Viveros was a JROTC student at Osborne High School.
She completed her high school studies through the Cobb Horizon class of 2022 before heading to Fort Leonard Wood for active duty.
Despite the distance and rigorous training demands, the family has remained tight-knit throughout her military career.
What we don't know:
Military officials and family members have not released details on how long her temporary leave will last in Georgia.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Cobb County School District, who issued a press release detailing the campus visits and military reunion.