NEED TO KNOW
Nicole Peterson planned the surprise after Tyler Peterson completed Southwest Airlines pilot training
Southwest’s social team helped arrange the family’s reunion before Tyler’s Houston-to-Nashville flight
Their daughter Halle received aviation-themed gifts and heard her father announce her presence onboard
Nicole Peterson had the sweetest surprise in store for her husband Tyler Peterson when she brought their daughter to Texas.
This summer, Nicole’s husband Tyler, 28, completed his pilot training with Southwest Airlines and the Arkansas-based creator and mom, 30, wanted to celebrate his achievements. When he returned home, she threw him a celebration and shared the videos on TikTok, which caught the attention of Southwest’s social team.
“They loved following our family’s story and helped coordinate this special surprise for Tyler,” she tells PEOPLE. “He was scheduled to fly from Houston to Nashville on his first trip out of training. Halle and I secretly traveled there to surprise him at the airport.”
Nicole and Halle Peterson surprise Tyler Peterson on his first commercial flight.
Credit: @nicole_pete/@southwestair
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“We snuck up on him while he was working through his pre-flight check to let him know we would be coming with him on his first trip!” recalls Nicole, who shared video of the moment on her TikTok. “It was such a fun way to celebrate this new chapter in his career and let Halle be a part of his world!”
Nicole says her husband had “absolutely no idea” that she and Halle would be surprising him in Texas.
“He went to work that morning like it was a completely normal day, while Halle and I had our own plans to travel to Houston ourselves and meet him there,” she says. “Keeping everything a secret was so much fun, and knowing that Southwest was helping us make this memory for our family made it even more special. He genuinely didn’t see it coming!”
Halle Peterson on her dad’s flight.
Credit: @nicole_pete/@southwestair
The proud mom explains that her daughter Halle is so excited anytime she’s in an airport or on a plane.
“She is obsessed with aviation already. She was so happy to see her daddy at work doing what he loves!” says Nicole. “She was quite literally running down the jet bridge to go find him.”
In addition surprising her dad, Halle was given a few other treats that day. The captain and flight attendant learned of the plan right before it happened and put together a goodie bag for her. She walked away with activity books, crowns and her own pair of wings — and Tyler even announced over the intercom that Halle was on board.
Tyler Peterson and his daughter Halle.
Credit: @nicole_pete/@southwestair
Nicole says that after watching her husband work so hard to become a pilot, it’s especially meaningful to get to share these moments with their daughter.
“As his wife, I know how much this career means to him, and as Halle’s mom, getting to watch her build these memories with her dad is something I will always treasure,” she says. “I also thought it was so special that Southwest’s social media team reached out and helped us create this memory. What started as me sharing a little piece of our family’s life turned into an experience we’ll never forget.”
Looking ahead, Nicole says she’s excited to do something like this again.
“We love finding little ways to make memories together as a family, and I think this will always be one of those moments we look back on,” she shares. “With Tyler being a pilot, aviation is such a unique part of our family life, and I love that Halle gets to grow up experiencing it with him. I’m sure there will be plenty more adventures in our future!”
Read the original article on People