Friday was a big day for Surrey youngster Ethan Fritz 乌鸦传媒� after months of separation due to pandemic-related border restrictions, he got to see his daddy.
Well, sort of.
One thing is for certain: the visit 乌鸦传媒� in the form of a U.S. Air Force transport plane over White Rock Pier 乌鸦传媒� caught the attention of waterfront residents and visitors.
Mystery -- this grey jet just flew over White Rock's waterfront doing a 360掳 turn above the pier at about 200 feet.
乌鸦传媒� Ken Wuschke (@KenWuschke)
It was grey with no visible markings
Presently flying due south into the States.
Acknowledging it likely took at least a few people off-guard 乌鸦传媒� one woman who called Peace Arch News described the unexpected sighting of the 乌鸦传媒渉uge乌鸦传媒� craft as 乌鸦传媒渟o close乌鸦传媒� so scary乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒� Ethan乌鸦传媒檚 mom Alyssa Fritz said there simply wasn乌鸦传媒檛 time to spread the word in advance.
乌鸦传媒淚 was in-between if it was a good or a bad idea,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚 couldn乌鸦传媒檛 pass it up, my son seeing his dad.
乌鸦传媒淲e all went out of our way to make it happen.乌鸦传媒�
Four-year-old Ethan has only seen his dad, Lt.-Col. TK Minzak, through video calls since his birthday in early March, Fritz explained, and the separation has been difficult for someone so young to understand.
乌鸦传媒淲hen you乌鸦传媒檙e four, it乌鸦传媒檚 really hard,乌鸦传媒� she said.
乌鸦传媒淲ith the way things are and just the job that his dad does乌鸦传媒� it doesn乌鸦传媒檛 look like we乌鸦传媒檒l be able to see him anytime soon.乌鸦传媒�
Minzak, who is originally from Texas, is a pilot for Alaska Airlines and flies reserve for the U.S. Air Force, Fritz continued. Pre-pandemic, she and Ethan routinely travelled to Seattle for family visits.
But that all came to an end in March.
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Thursday night, however, Fritz received news that Minzak had organized a special visit for Ethan 乌鸦传媒� permission to do a low-level fly-by of the White Rock Pier in the C17 transport plane he was piloting for a training exercise.
Ethan, his mom and several family members gathered at the end of the pier for the occasion. Minzak was to approach from the direction of Point Roberts and make two passes before returning to U.S. air space.
As the plane appeared in the distance, the excitement built.
乌鸦传媒淟ook, just for you,乌鸦传媒� Fritz exclaimed to Ethan as the plane came in for its first pass and did a 乌鸦传媒榳ing wiggle乌鸦传媒� greeting. 乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 waving.乌鸦传媒�
After, Fritz said Ethan couldn乌鸦传媒檛 wait to share the experience with his friends at daycare.
乌鸦传媒淗e was just so happy and excited,乌鸦传媒� she said.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 not like a deployment,乌鸦传媒� she noted of Minzak乌鸦传媒檚 absence. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 like, his dad is right there and we just can乌鸦传媒檛 get to him.
乌鸦传媒淭oday, it was like a visual 乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒榤y daddy乌鸦传媒檚 there.乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕
tholmes@peacearchnews.com
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