Anchors Away
U.S. Navy sailor Chris Daugherty was due to deploy in January. It wouldn’t be his first tour abroad. Nor would it be the first time he’d have to spend a prolonged period away from his family. Daugherty was initially expecting to be at sea for five months.
However, sometime after setting sail, the Navy man would learn that his deployment would actually end up lasting longer than he’d first thought, but that wasn’t the only unexpected twist heading his way. Little did Chris know at the time, but he’d eventually come home to the shock of his life.
Overseas Tour
As respectable as it is, life as a military spouse isn’t always easy. And Chris Daugherty and his wife, Natasha, were no strangers to the sacrifices of that lifestyle. Staying away from your loved ones for long periods of time can be soul crushing.
The young Temecula, California couple had three young children and it never got any easier when deployment time came around. There were smiles amid the tears when Petty Officer Chris Daugherty’s whole family came to port to send him off when he deployed on the USS Vinson. Little did they know that by the time Christ would come back home, everything would be different.
A Hard Goodbye
Working overseas for so many months would affect anyone's relationship with their family, especially with their wife and kids, and Christ was completely aware of this as he'd witnessed a lot of families falling apart because of it.
Christ was heading to the waters off of the Korean Peninsula where he would work as a Navy cryptologic technician. Daugherty would spend his days deciphering codes and signals, but he’d have no clue as to something that was happening back home.
Long Months Ahead
As is the case with many military spouses and army wives, it didn’t take long for Natasha Daugherty to feel the pangs of loneliness that are unique to missing your partner. It was only about a week after Chris had shipped out, though, when Natasha started subtly changing her ways.
The changes were small at first, but with each passing week, it became harder and harder to conceal the truth. As time passed, however, there was one person in particular back home to whom Natasha was EXTRA careful not to reveal her whole story.
Feeling Lonely
With three children at home and her husband away in the Navy, Natasha Daugherty had her hands plenty full. Caring for three kids on your own is not an easy job, what is a mom supposed to do when her husband is away for almost half a year? Natasha had to confront her fears and do her best.
It's hard to stick to your regular schedule when your life turns upside down, that's something every military wife knows. Natasha felt overwhelmed, and as she started to change her state of mind, she couldn't help but notice that other things were also changing. She was aware of it, but keeping it a secret from everyone else turned out to be a challenge.
Talkative Toddler
While her first-born was old enough to understand that he should keep quiet about the differences with his mother, it wasn’t as easy to keep everyone hush-hush. It became incredibly hard to manage all of her three kids.
The mother of three found it most difficult to keep up appearances of normalcy with her four-year-old. Since the family was able to speak with Chris on a regular basis, Natasha couldn’t help but be concerned that her little girl would mention something that would raise his suspicions.
Constant Contact
Although she barely had a minute to spare, Natasha Daugherty was in turmoil over the dilemma of whether to tell her husband something that would inevitably have a HUGE impact and change both of their lives forever when he returned.
Chris was thousands of miles away from home and she knew to reveal the truth while he was so far away would just make him anxious and distracted. It would have made it so much harder.
He Must Not Know
The situation was intensified by the fact that the family kept in touch on a regular basis. They would make video calls, speak on the phone and share photos online, but Natasha constantly worried that Chris would notice she was hiding something.
She did her best and tried not to send him photos from home, especially not of herself. The fear that he would be able to tell that she's hiding something, just by looking at her face, was soul crushing but necessary. She couldn't interfere between her kids and their father, though.
Close Call
Natasha and Chris Daugherty had first met when they were both working in the Navy. At the time, Natasha was working as an IT systems technician and Chris was smitten. He couldn’t believe that he’d meet such a beautiful, intelligent woman with whom he had so much in common.
The couple wed in 2011, and after years of marriage keeping something of such gravity from Chris was extremely difficult and unprecedented for Natasha. At one point soon after Chris had deployed, the 28-year-old Natasha had intended to come clean to her Navy husband, but ultimately she decided against it.
Not Just Hiding From Him
“I emailed him and I told him to call me as soon as he gets a chance but then I thought about it for a few minutes and I was like, ‘You know, this isn’t how I want to tell him – in an email,’” Natasha recalled.
Not only did Natasha want to conceal her big secret from Chris, but she didn’t want their friends or extended family to find out either. It wouldn’t be long though until perceptive loved ones would notice what had transpired.
Difficult Times
To keep afloat, Natasha was back home working two jobs and taking care of three little kids while Chris was serving his duty for the country.
For anyone else, it would have been easy to sink under all the pressure. Natasha had already made it thus far it, but it hadn’t been simple. It wasn’t an easy time for Natasha and there were so many occasions when she desperately wanted to break the silence and let her husband know what was going on.
Time Flies Fast
Natasha only had a week to go until Chris’ impending homecoming, when she received unexpected news that made her question everything.
After five grueling months, Chris called from his station to tell Natasha that his tour had extended by an extra 30 days. The addition to his deployment had been made after North Korea began testing ballistic missiles. Surprisingly, she was relieved. But soon the pressure became unbearable.
Half A Year Sails By
As international tensions rose, so too did Natasha’s anticipations skyrocket. She was about to burst, and just tell Chris what she’d been keeping from him. She couldn't wait any longer.
Ultimately, though, she decided it would be best to hold on for another month and that she’d use all her strength to keep it under wraps until then. Everyone around her became suspicious as well, but Chris wood soon come home and he would have to face what his wife did.
Torn With Uncertainty
Despite her adamant decision to wait until her husband was home to tell him what would inevitably be life-changing news, Natasha knew that if anything, God forbid, happened to Chris before she was able to, she’d never forgive herself.
“As soon as we started having trouble with North Korea, I became worried,” she later told NBC. “He was telling me goodbye. At that point, I was extremely emotional. I wanted to tell him, I wanted to freak out,” said Natasha. “But I kept my calm and waited, just a little longer.”
Homeward Bound
Finally, the last long haul passed and the six long months of Chris’ deployment were over. The Navy man was at long last on the voyage home to jump back into the everyday reality of being a family man.
The Daugherty’s children barely contain themselves knowing they’d soon see their father, but Natasha wasn’t sure how he’d react when he realized just what she’d kept from him the whole time he was away.
Finally Home
As Chris sailed toward the American West Coast, he had no idea that it wasn’t only a few hugs that would greet upon his return.
On June 23, Chris Daugherty’s whole family had made the journey to San Diego where his ship had docked. As he disembarked, he couldn’t help but burst into the biggest cheek-to-cheek smile when he spotted his loving family waiting for him. But his wife wasn't smiling, he immediately realized something was off.
A Soldier’s Welcome
Clad in mini sailor outfits, Chris’ two daughters and son excitedly rushed to hug and greet their uninformed father. They were so happy, and Chris couldn't believe how much they've grown over the last few months he was gone.
The realization that he'd lost a few months from their kids' lives struck him like a train. As the overjoyed kids jumped and swarmed their dad, Natasha held back but Chris didn’t realize why until he got closer.
Unbelievable Moment
After the sweet reunion with his children, Chris headed over to Natasha. Subtly smiling, she was holding a large poster welcoming her spouse back from his maritime duties.
He didn't realize she was holding a huge poster in her hands and proceeded to try to hug his wife, but she backed away. They exchanged looks but not much can be said when your children can hear everything. Chris realized something was going on, and Natasha knew it. It was time to tell him the truth.
She Couldn't Wait Any Longer
Natasha realized it was time to reveal her secret to her husband. After all, her family knew about it and it was only a matter of time until he would realize on his own that something was different about her.
As Chris reached out to embrace her, she stepped back and dropped the sign she’d been holding. At that moment, Chris stopped dead in his tracks. For a few seconds, Chris was frozen in shock. How could she do this?
Moment Of Truth
After a few seconds of complete shock, he was able to utter: “Is that real? Are you serious?” How could she keep this from him?
Natasha greeted Chris holding a sign that read, “Welcome Home Baby Daddy.” With three children between the two of them, the message made sense. But the placard was covering something underneath that Chris could never have expected.
Is It Real?
When Natasha dropped the placard she revealed a shirt that read “I am the present my daddy gave my mommy before he deployed,” under which was a VERY PREGNANT belly! Crowds gathered, but there wasn’t a dry eye around after what happened next.
Chris couldn’t believe his eyes. “It was a pretty awesome confusion going on here,” he said of that extraordinary moment. “I was looking at her, then poked it because I was not sure if she was playing a trick on me.” Was his wife pranking him?
Stunned Sailor
Once Chris composed himself from the initial shock, the couple finally kissed and embraced, reveling in the joy of Chris’ long-awaited homecoming and the surprise of another child on the way.
The moment was already bursting with emotion – and although it didn’t seem possible – there’s was something else that made the day EVEN MORE special.
Fatherly Pride
As it turns out Chris’ return home just about coincided with Father’s Day. He had dropped anchor just a few days after the annual Sunday celebration and couldn’t have received a better present to mark the occasion.
“I have three (kids) already now so a fourth will just add on to the excitement and craziness!” he said. The Daugherty family members rejoiced as the weight of months apart had lifted and they now had a tiny miracle to look forward to. Little did they know then, however, but they’d soon become famous!
Those In The Know
Although Natasha had initially wanted to keep her pregnancy from family and friends to lower the chances that someone would accidentally give the surprise away to Chris, her growing stomach eventually became apparent and she rallied them to maintain the happy secret.
It was one of those friends who came to the Navy homecoming and recorded a video of the touching family reunion. The video quickly became a sensation on Facebook and now has more than half a million views. Still, no one, and particularly Chris, could have guessed just how Natasha was able to conceal her growing secret for so long.
Strategic Secrecy
In her attempt to give her husband the surprise of his life, Natasha had implemented some pretty clever ways to hide her pregnancy. She tried to make it seem that nothing was out of the ordinary and would inconspicuously hide her growing baby bump in photos she sent Chris while he was away.
In one photo, she placed their toddler on her lap to hide her midsection. In another, she held a beer can (that she obviously didn’t drink) in front of her. “I had to tell my four-year-old I was getting fat. Otherwise, she would tell! Because she’s a blabbermouth,” she laughed as she explained just why she decided to make the good news a surprise. But that wasn’t all.
Hardest Thing She Had To Do
“I found out about a week after he left. I didn’t believe it,” Natasha, then 28 told ABC News. “I took the pregnancy test again and I was like, ‘Oh no way.’” At that point, Natasha was about eight weeks along.
She was so excited about the pregnancy and wanted to tell Chris the good news in an email. On second thought, however, she realized she’d prefer another way. “I emailed him back and said, ‘I just miss your voice.’ That’s when I decided I’m going to document it with weekly belly pictures for him so he wouldn’t miss it.” But that wasn’t all.
Secret Out Of Love
Admittedly keeping that information from her husband was one of the hardest things Natasha has ever done. She also knew that if she told her Navy husband, he would worry and be disappointed that he was missing out yet have no way to be there.
In addition, the Navy wife wanted to share all the fear and challenges that came with expecting a baby. Ultimately, though, she decided the surprise would be worth it. Although Chris had missed the first 7.5 months of the pregnancy, there was still ANOTHER surprise in store for the couple!
Gender Reveal
While Natasha had initially kept her pregnancy a secret from her Navy husband, she did decide to wait until they were together again to find out the gender of the baby. Therefore, one of the first things the family did after Chris returned home was to have a gender reveal party.
With friends and family at their side, Natasha and Chris popped a bundle of balloons that revealed pink confetti! The couple was having another girl, and they were over the moon. Their fourth baby was due in August, which gave them about two months for something they desperately needed.
Two Months To Take It In
In the months after Chris returned the Daugherty family was able to fit some unforgettable quality time. Along with stocking up on diapers and completing some final touches to the nursery, the couple also fit in some adorable maternity shots.
Chris and Natasha were able to do some much-needed bonding with their three oldest kids before welcoming the fourth. The whole clan was excitedly anticipating the big day when Chris got another deployment notice. The family crossed their fingers and hoped with all they had that he wouldn’t miss the birth.
Not Out To Sea
For those in the military, there’s always a chance of getting called up at a moment’s notice. However, Chris Daugherty hoped that wouldn’t be the case when the time came for his wife to give birth to their fourth child.
Luckily, it seemed that he could expect to be in the delivery room as his next deployment date was set for early 2018 and he would be able to be there for his fourth child’s birth in August 2017 to enjoy the miraculous experience before he shipped out again.
And Baby Makes Six
To the whole family’s delight, Chris indeed was present when, on September 2, 2017, Natasha gave birth to their fourth child. The pair named the baby Anara Rose, who joined her 10-year-old brother, 4-year-old sister and 18-month-old sister.
“We love you so much! You have completed our family of six,” Chris wrote on Facebook after she was born. “Can’t wait to bring you home.” Now that the family was settling into life with the new little addition, their true feelings about the whole whirlwind of events became more clear.
Worth It
In the end, both Chris and Natasha were glad that he found out the good news about the pregnancy in person. Despite the range of emotions that Natasha dealt with keeping the secret, in the end, she was happy Chris could be part of the process once he returned.
She was also content knowing her husband hadn’t been riddled with unsettled thoughts of not being with his family while he was away doing such focused work. What they both have said of the events, though, will bring tears to your eyes.
Their Words
“It was an awesome surprise to find out that way. Finding out in email or over the phone, that’s easy, but since she saved it, it was special,” Chris said touchingly. And Natasha expressed similarly heart-warming sentiments.
“It was difficult but totally worth it in the end,” Natasha told NBC. With that successful surprise behind them, Natasha made waves when she openly spoke about whether she was planning any surprises for Chris’ next military deployment.
More Surprises?
Before seaman Chris Daugherty was due to ship out again, the couple did an interview with CBS. “What surprises are you going to have next time?” correspondent Jamie Yuccas asked her. In response, Natasha laughed and responded, “Nothing.”
As well as the first surprise worked out for everyone, one seemed to be just enough. Although it wasn’t a surprise, the family again had to gear up when baby Anara Rose was just four months old and it came time for Chris to deploy yet again.
Another Tour
In early 2018, the U.S. Navy shipped out Chris for another four-month round to the western Pacific. This tour took him to the likes of Guam, the Philippines and Vietnam. He and Natasha had promised that this time around there would be no surprises, but he still longed to be home.
Having spent so much time away from his loved ones, Chris made a vow to put down electronics and spend more time face-to-face when he again returned home. About four months after it started, the tour was over he finally headed home unsure of whether his wife would really stick to what she said about no more surprises.
Navy Family
In April 2018, Christ Daugherty was once again happy to be reunited with his family. To everyone’s surprise, or not, there really were no surprises (at least that we know of) at his homecoming this time around.
Of course, Chris did miss his the baby along with the rest of his family. And while his homecoming might not have made as big of a splash for the rest of us, his previous one won’t soon be forgotten for a good reason.
Engrained in History
Soon after going viral, the video of the Navy husband being surprised by his pregnant wife made it from social media to the mass media. Outlets across the country caught wind of the beautiful story and wrote dozens of articles about them. They were also invited to endless interviews.
While the cycle of Navy deployment may not stop soon for Chris Daugherty, neither will the proliferation of their happy tale. Now that the family has endless documentation of the moving pregnancy reveal moment, baby Anara Rose will no doubt get a kick looking back at it all one day.