Well over a million people have seen a touching moment between a family stationed in TikTok when Nicholle Reyes, a 911 dispatcher for Fairfax County, surprises her father by telling him he is being promoted to the Alexandria Fire Department.
With the news, he also becomes the division’s first Hispanic battalion chief.
The video, which touched hearts and garnered tens of thousands of likes on social media, begins with Nicholle Reyes’ voice.
“Hello dad, it’s Nicholle. On behalf of Fire Chief Smedley, the rest of your family … I am honored to announce your promotion to battalion chief, ”she said.
She made the surprise announcement on a radio in a building just down the hall from her father, Samuel Reyes.
“It was a great honor to be asked to celebrate it this way,” said Nicholle Reyes.
What her father didn’t know was that everyone was waiting to congratulate him. The video shows him wiping his tears as his daughter and others walk into the room where he is sitting to hug him.
“It was a total surprise. I’ve never been so surprised in my life, ”said Samuel Reyes.
The new battalion chief joined the Alexandria Fire Department in 2001. For one of his first assignments, he responded to the Pentagon on September 11th.
Twenty years later he is one of only a handful of battalion chiefs in the entire division and the first Spanish battalion chief in Alexandria.
His niece, Kathy Lozatta recorded the moment.
“My uncle is one of the best people I know. The most selfless person. If someone deserves it, he is and I am so proud of him, ”said Lozatta.
Samuel Reyes records everything.
“For us, you know my family, we celebrate when someone buys a new pair of shoes,” he said. “We always find a reason to celebrate. I’m from Puerto Rico, so my family is overjoyed there. We celebrate each other. It was a great experience, it was pretty cool. “
As for the TikTok video – let’s just say the whole family can’t believe how many people are watching it.
“I think it’s 1.3 million views,” Lozatta said. “Not that you’re looking,” her uncle teases.
Smiles, cheers, tears from the family and millions of strangers on the Internet welcomed battalion chief Samuel Reyes in his new role.
“There’s a lot of weight on your shoulders, but the Alexandria Fire Department did a great job preparing me for it,” he said.