Friday was a big day for Surrey youngster Ethan Fritz sa国际传媒� after months of separation due to pandemic-related border restrictions, he got to see his daddy.
Well, sort of.
One thing is for certain: the visit sa国际传媒� in the form of a U.S. Air Force transport plane over White Rock Pier sa国际传媒� caught the attention of waterfront residents and visitors.
Mystery -- this grey jet just flew over White Rock's waterfront doing a 360掳 turn above the pier at about 200 feet.
sa国际传媒� Ken Wuschke (@KenWuschke)
It was grey with no visible markings
Presently flying due south into the States.
Acknowledging it likely took at least a few people off-guard sa国际传媒� one woman who called Peace Arch News described the unexpected sighting of the sa国际传媒渉ugesa国际传媒� craft as sa国际传媒渟o closesa国际传媒� so scarysa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Ethansa国际传媒檚 mom Alyssa Fritz said there simply wasnsa国际传媒檛 time to spread the word in advance.
sa国际传媒淚 was in-between if it was a good or a bad idea,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚 couldnsa国际传媒檛 pass it up, my son seeing his dad.
sa国际传媒淲e all went out of our way to make it happen.sa国际传媒�
Four-year-old Ethan has only seen his dad, Lt.-Col. TK Minzak, through video calls since his birthday in early March, Fritz explained, and the separation has been difficult for someone so young to understand.
sa国际传媒淲hen yousa国际传媒檙e four, itsa国际传媒檚 really hard,sa国际传媒� she said.
sa国际传媒淲ith the way things are and just the job that his dad doessa国际传媒� it doesnsa国际传媒檛 look like wesa国际传媒檒l be able to see him anytime soon.sa国际传媒�
Minzak, who is originally from Texas, is a pilot for Alaska Airlines and flies reserve for the U.S. Air Force, Fritz continued. Pre-pandemic, she and Ethan routinely travelled to Seattle for family visits.
But that all came to an end in March.
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Thursday night, however, Fritz received news that Minzak had organized a special visit for Ethan sa国际传媒� permission to do a low-level fly-by of the White Rock Pier in the C17 transport plane he was piloting for a training exercise.
Ethan, his mom and several family members gathered at the end of the pier for the occasion. Minzak was to approach from the direction of Point Roberts and make two passes before returning to U.S. air space.
As the plane appeared in the distance, the excitement built.
sa国际传媒淟ook, just for you,sa国际传媒� Fritz exclaimed to Ethan as the plane came in for its first pass and did a sa国际传媒榳ing wigglesa国际传媒� greeting. sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 waving.sa国际传媒�
After, Fritz said Ethan couldnsa国际传媒檛 wait to share the experience with his friends at daycare.
sa国际传媒淗e was just so happy and excited,sa国际传媒� she said.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 not like a deployment,sa国际传媒� she noted of Minzaksa国际传媒檚 absence. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 like, his dad is right there and we just cansa国际传媒檛 get to him.
sa国际传媒淭oday, it was like a visual sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒榤y daddysa国际传媒檚 there.sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒�
tholmes@peacearchnews.com
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