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Navy twin surprises brother with airport reunion

Posted at 6:03 PM, Sep 28, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-28 18:04:22-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Friday morning, Lauren Sikkema stood in the airport with a sign in her hand that read "Welcome Home ET3 Sikkema." It was a surprise welcome from one Navy service member to another.

"I'm anxious. I'm so excited," Sikkema said.

The yeoman seaman apprentice said she was so excited she couldn't sleep last night. Her twin brother, Logan Sikkema, was coming home. The two hadn't seen each other in months. Sikkema and her family waited in anticipation inside the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.

"He thinks I'm in Mississippi," she grinned.

"He doesn't think he's going to see me until May, at least May if not June. He thinks I'm all upset because I'm not home," Sikkema explained.

Jami Sikkema, the twins' mother said, "I was the only person she told because she was afraid someone would mess up, which I almost messed up several times. But it was hard to keep it a secret. But fortunately... she's only been here for a couple days so it wasn't too bad."

Lauren said, "I'll probably cry. I'll probably cry. I cried the whole way here when I flew in from Chicago."

It's a bond she said has grown ever since she joined the Navy like Logan. That was four months ago. Friday morning, the wait to seem him was finally over.

"Surprise," Lauren shouted.

"What!? I'm proud of you. I'm proud of you," Logan said while the two embraced.

When asked if he was in shock, Logan replied, "Yea." Laughter broke out in response to his answer.

The surprised twin had few words, but his family is just happy to have him home.

Their mother, Jami said, "Extremely proud of both of them. They're both awesome."

Logan, who joined the Navy three years ago and serves as an electronics technician, is back for two weeks before he deploys. The twins said they'll ultimately both be stationed in San Diego.