TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — It seemed like magic was in the air at the Tampa International Airport on Christmas as News Channel 8 captured surprise after surprise.
The Waack brothers are twins but one lives in New York and one lives in Connecticut. Jim Waack had planned to meet his brother and his family, who were flying into Tampa on Christmas, on the beach.
“I woke to a text,” he said. “[It read] ‘Hey! We got on an early flight!’ and so I said to my daughter, ‘Let’s surprise them and get to the airport.’”
His brother is calling it “a Christmas miracle.”
Despite the constant hustle and bustle, it is the season for those miracles, especially at Gate E on Level 3.
“We are here to pick up my cousins, who are flying in from New York,” says 13-year-old Emily Geller.
Geller and her best friend, 13-year-old Kailey Rappel, are also from New York.
“We have been here for like five days now,” said Geller.
“The weather is great!” Rappel said.
The two are in Florida visiting Geller’s family and were at the airport waiting to surprise her cousin. We saw the two teenagers in the large crowd because they are wearing matching pajama onesies.
“Across the street from our hotel is a mall,” said Geller. “We were like, ‘We need to get these!’ and we begged my mom.”
Finally, it was time for another Christmas miracle — the Gellers and Rappel surprised a family of three as soon as they walk into the airport.
“I think Christmas is meant to be spent with your family and the people you are close with just to have fun and spend the holiday together,” said Geller.
“Presents a little bit in there too but mostly family,” she added with a laugh.