By: Yaremi Farinas

A soldier makes it home in time for Father's Day.
The 22-year-old Williston man has been in Afghanistan for the past year.

Cheers filled the Gainesville Airport Saturday afternoon as United States Army soldier Carl Wilcox returned home for a two week visit.

"My father is here, tomorrow is Father's Day I am going to spend time with my father and I have a son also and I just want to catch up with my friends and family," said Wilcox.

Wilcox's father said he couldn't ask for a better father's day  gift.

"It feels good, real good. I missed him," said Wilcox's father.

Wilcox hasn't been home for 8 months.
He said he plans to take a trip to Georgia to visit his one-year-old baby boy.
His son wasn't at the airport, but other relatives were there holding up signs and waving American flags.

"I am so happy to have him home with us," said grandma Ethel Wilcox.
"We are so proud of him and we are so glad to have him home," aunt Gina Wilcox.
"It feels great and I am so excited," sister Angela Cotman.
"We are happy he is home in a safe zone," sister Gershey Bradley.

The first person to spot Wilcox was his mother Edra Mount, who tells us she will never forget the day he told her he wanted to serve his country.

"He told me mama I'm going to the army. I said you what? I said do you know that they shoot at you and everything else. He told me I am going to the army and I want you to be proud of me," said Mount.

She said that's exactly what she is. His family has planned a nice Christmas like dinner for Wilcox,
which he is very excited about, but there's one other thing he is looking forward to.

"I don't have to worry about being shot at," said Wilcox.