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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (WTXF) - On Saturday night, the Philadelphia 76ers held a surprise military reunion for 23-year-old Sixers Dancer, Angela, and her longtime 29-year-old military boyfriend, Sgt. Elliott Burgos.
Elliott, a Sergeant in the Army Reserve previously stationed in Kuwait and Jordan, returned home to New Jersey after an 11-month deployment on Wednesday, Nov. 29, but didn't tell his girlfriend, rookie Sixers Dancer Angela.
Instead, Elliott convinced Angela that he was still in Kuwait by communicating with her at the same time he would be there (an eight-hour time difference).
Angela and Sgt. Burgos celebrated their three-year anniversary back in September, the same month Elliott worked with the 76ers to plan his surprise.
"He told me he was all set to come back to Texas on Tuesday, and I was watching the video and said oh my God, that's my boyfriend," Angela said.
"This is real. I've never been in a setting like this. I haven't seen her in almost a year. I'm blown away right now," Sgt. Burgos told FOX 29.
"As soon as I got into the terminal in Newark, I ran into someone I knew, and right away he wanted to put me up on social media and I'm like 'No no no no no,'" Sgt. Burgos said.
"I knew he was safe over in Kuwait, but I was always worried what he would do," Angela said.
"There's not many people who can surprise a loved one in front of 20,000 people, so I'm a lucky man," said Sgt. Burgos.
For now, the couple plans to make up for all their lost time, particularly with the holidays right around the corner.