Soldier’s return home fulfills son’s 5th birthday wish

By Carrie A. Mizell

Surprise hardly describes the look of shock that crossed Collin Lyles’ face on his 5th birthday when his dad, an Army specialist serving in Afghanistan, walked into Collin’s pre-kindergarten class at Bell Elementary School on Thursday.
Collin’s teacher, Mrs. Christie Webster, made Collin close his eyes and then asked him what he wanted for his birthday. Just as he had told his mother, Chelsea Harding, Collin told his teacher and fellow classmates that he wanted his dad to come home from Afghanistan. The teacher then gently turned him around and told him to open his eyes.
In walked Collin’s dad, Army Specialist Nicolas Harding, who has been serving in the Middle East and has not seen his wife and two children in nine months.
“He just stood there in shock! And then his eyes began to tear up,” recalls Chelsea Harding.

Collin’s mother explained that she and her husband were going to wait until the weekend to surprise Collin at his birthday party, but ultimately decided to surprise the 5-year-old while he was at school.
“My dad, Robert Lyles, worked for the school district for many years before he passed away on August 25,” Chelsea Harding explained. “So it meant a lot to us that the surprise could happen here, at the school, because it was my dad’s favorite place.”
Nicolas, a Newberry native, and Chelsea Harding, a Fort White native, made the decision to move their family to Bell three months ago because of the county’s excellent school system.
According to Chelsea Harding, her husband will be home on leave for two weeks before he has to return to Afghanistan where he serves as his squadron commander’s driver. During his leave, Nicolas plans to settle into his new home, spend time with Chelsea and Collin and the couple’s baby girl, Madelynn, who was born nine months ago and has grown up quite a bit since her dad’s last trip home.