Baseball, Football Set Stage for Best Tear-Inducing Surprise Military Homecomings of 2013 (Videos)

There are few things more steeped in patriotism than sports are. From singing The Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America, to publicly recognizing those who serve our country, the world of sports offers a unique chance for people of all races, religions and political affiliations to salute the same flag.

It’s only right to recognize families that make the ultimate sacrifice when they say goodbye to a loved one who is serving in the military. They go months without seeing each other in person, and very rarely get to spend birthdays, anniversaries and holidays together — that’s what makes surprise military reunions so special.

More and more professional and college teams are orchestrating these surprise homecomings, and it’s rare that one comes along and doesn’t elicit tears from the viewer. Seeing the look of pure shock and joy on the families’ faces makes it all worth it. Just in time for the holidays, we’ve compiled the year’s best surprise homecomings, in case you needed a reason to cry today.

Click here for 2013’s best surprise military homecomings >>