For one Valley mom, her wish came true before the holidays.

Her soldier son, stationed in Iraq, arrived home on Friday.

Marco Pardo Orduna was all smiles when he arrived around noon at the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport.

He was deployed in Afghanistan, stayed there for a year and is now happy to be home.

Orduna said he didn't have words to express his excitement and really wanted to surprise his family.

“I’m really glad they let us go home for Thanksgiving,” said Marco. “I completely didn’t know what month it was. I miss the taste of food.”

His mother thought her son was coming home Saturday.

Little did she know her son was on a mission to surprise his mom, according to friend and fellow U.S. Army Soldier, Kelly Carillo.

“I know the feeling of coming home and not really a lot of people being there,” said Carillo. “I got here a month before I came to Brownsville and I really didn’t have family there so I wanted him to at least feel welcome by everyone.”

He said he is happy to be back during the holidays and is expecting a good home cooked meal.

Carillo is currently on active duty and was also in Afghanistan.

His mom and everyone else are delighted to have him home.

They are expecting to make an extra special meal for Marco Orduna for the holidays.