Aberdeen first-grader gets special Christmas wish granted
Published at
ABERDEEN — Remington Cornforth had just one Christmas wish this year.
The Aberdeen Elementary School first-grader wanted to see her big brother, U.S. Marine Kyler Maxwell. She even wished upon a falling star Thursday night for her brother to come home for Christmas.
Six-year-old Remington didn’t know at the time but her wish would come true the next day at the Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck.
Kyler is stationed at Camp Foster on the Japanese island of Okinawa. When he heard about Remington’s wish, he talked to his commanding officer and managed to get leave so he could be there Friday to surprise his sister.
While Remington was sharing her Christmas list with Santa Friday afternoon at the Pine Ridge Mall, Kyler was waiting behind a screen in his full Marine Corps dress uniform. When he made his way onto the platform to greet his sister, it took a few seconds for Remington to realize that her Christmas wish was actually coming true.
But then the little girl jumped into her big brother’s arms.
“I just wanted to tell her that I love her,” Kyler said.
Their mother, Shannon Cornforth, said Remington is a smart kid and it wasn’t easy to keep the surprise from her, but the reunion went off without a hitch and it was the high point of the holiday for the family.
“I just couldn’t ask for a better Christmas,” Shannon said.
Kyler’s girlfriend, Taryn Hagenson, made the trip up from Arizona to be there for the reunion.
“Remington really loves her brother,” Hagenson said.
Remington said she is thrilled to have her big brother home for the holidays, but she still has a list for Santa. She’s hoping to find a Gizmo, Pokémon and iPhone under the tree on Christmas morning.
“But I already got what I wanted,” Remington said. “I was really surprised to see my brother, and I’m really happy that he’s here.”
Remington, Kyler and the rest of the family went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner after the reunion and then they headed home to Aberdeen.
Kyler will return to Camp Foster on Jan. 3.
He said he’s excited that Donald Trump was elected president and he believes Trump will be good for the U.S. military.
A 2015 graduate of Aberdeen High School, Kyler said he’s known that he wanted to serve his country since he was a child.
Kyler said that both of his grandfathers and some of his uncles served in the military and he wanted to continue the tradition.
“I wanted to be a role model for my family,” Kyler said.
This article was originally published in the Idaho State Journal. It is used here with permission.