Home for the Holidays: 10 military families receive tickets to be together this holiday season

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Making dreams come true as we head into the holiday season.

The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, in partnership with the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and WTOC, made the holiday season extra special for 10 amazing military families.

When Oddette Marie Alexis learned her son was one of the recipients of a free ticket “Home for the Holidays,” she just couldn’t believe it.

“I was happy. I was in my driveway standing screaming. It’s great that we’re gonna have him home for the holidays,” she said.

The mother of four military children entered the “Home for the Holidays,” but thought winning was a long shot. Thursday night she was pleasantly surprised and so was her son.

“He was like oh my gosh. He was really stressing about getting home and how he was going to afford it, but with this now, thank you Fly Savannah, thank you WTOC, thank you Home for the Holidays for making this important for our children to come home.”

Airport representatives presented the 10 winning families with tickets at the airport Thursday night. This contest is also bringing Mikala Champion’s brother home. It’ll be their first Christmas since their father passed. Her brother wasn’t able to attend the funeral.

“It bothers him that he wasn’t able to come home and it was definitely hard for us not to be a whole family during that time and his death was definitely unexpected. To have him home, it’s going to be emotional,” Champion said.

“Just to know that there are organizations out there care about our military. They are always out there. Let them know that they have our backs. I am just thankful for that,” Alexis said.

Sponsors say this contest is their way to thank you to the military and their families.

″This is wonderful to be able to reunite families for the holidays and bring them home. This year, will bring them from Okinawa and other places far away. It just pleases us to bring them home,” said Shirley James with the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport Commission.

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