Four-year-old Emily can be heard yelling “daddy” as she runs into his arms, with the magical reunion showing the Brit soldier almost moved to tears as he holds his daughter close.
In the video, “daddy’s little girl” Emily, who was diagnosed with a brain malformation in January last year, can be seen running with her “crocodile walker” to get to her dad, who had been away from his family for about three months.
RAF Sergeant Caffrey said: “The greeting I got from Emily when I arrived back in the UK was more than I could ever of hoped for.
“I have often seen other fathers being greeted by their kids but never knew how special it really was until Emily came running up to me like she did.”
He added: “Luckily the video hides it, but I was closer to tears than I like to admit.
“She is a very bright and happy little girl and also very much a daddy’s girl, which makes it all the more difficult to leave her as she understands enough to know daddy is leaving but can’t comprehend how long for or why he isn’t coming home everyday.
“Although I have done several deployments in the past, this is the first time I have been away for any significant period of time since having children which makes it so much harder for both me and Hannah.”
Emily was born at 28 weeks and was diagnosed with a brain malformation in January last year.
The condition means Emily, who currently attends a mainstream nursery, relies on a crocodile walker.
Although the family can Whatsapp and video-call while Jon is away, mum Hannah Caffrey explained it was difficult to get Emily to properly talk to her dad over webcam.
The dental nurse said: “Because of the problems she has, she’s not very vocal. I had explained to her in the car that we were going to see daddy but it wasn’t until she saw him that I think she fully realised.
“My daughter is the strongest little girl to go through what she’s gone through already.
“Emily was born at 28 weeks and we have travelled around the country since she was born, moving with Jon’s postings but we have bought a house in Harrogate so we have a base.
“Sadly she’s one of those children that has a malformation of no name.”
She said it was difficult as no one knew what the disability would mean for little Emily, saying: “Long term, no-one has any idea what it might mean, we don’t know what she’ll do, it’s very much take every day as it comes and see what happens.
“He sees massive changes in her development and just in herself, she’s turned into a proper little girl.
“He’s overwhelmed by her, she is out and out a proper daddy’s girl Emily and Jon enjoying quality time together.
“Seeing her for the last 10 days has been really good for him to see how much she’s changed in that time.”
The couple, who also have another seven-month-old daughter called Molly, celebrated Emily’s fourth birthday while Jon was back in the UK.
But he flew back to Qatar on May 2 and said goodbye to his family who he will see again when he finally returns home in August.
Jon, who usually works at RAF College Cranwell within the RAF Police Special Investigations Branch, is currently on six months detachment in Qatar.
He has served with the British Royal Air Force in the Falklands, Basra and Afghanistan.
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