A soldier disguised himself as his daughter’s school mascot to surprise her in an emotional reunion after nearly a year apart. It was a normal school day for Allison Paez at Idea Weslaco Public School in Weslaco, Texas, when their mascot, a colt, walked into the cafeteria where she was sat with her fellow students. After waving to the excited students, the mascot walked over to Allison, aged seven, and took off the horse's head, to reveal himself as her father, Rene Paez. Rene, a sergeant with the U.S. Army, had been on deployment overseas at an undisclosed location for more than 11 months, which Allison’s mom, Priscilla, described as a tough time for the youngster.