An World War II veteran cried tears of joy when he met his great-great-granddaughter for the first time and held her in his arms during the heartwarming surprise.

Dewey Muirhead, a 101-year-old veteran who had fought in Central Europe and Normandy during , was blindfolded before meeting his great-great-granddaughter, Millie Fowler, who had just been born.

'The reason we blindfolded him is so that we could kind of get next to him and get his full reaction,' Lexie Fowler, Muirhead's great-granddaughter, told .

'Just being able to watch your great-grandfather hold your own child is something I'll never forget.

A lot of people don't get to have that opportunity, and we are very fortunate for it,' she said.

Muirhead served in the Army Air Corps during the war, primarily stationed in and . He now lives in Wewoka, Oklahoma.

Dewey Muirhead, a 101-year-old veteran who had fought in Central Europe and Normandy during World War II, had tears of joy when he met his great-great-granddaughter for the first time

The Oklahoma veteran was blindfolded before meeting his great-great-granddaughter, Millie Fowler, who had just been born

Muirhead and his wife, Inez, whom he met when buying a pineapple cake from a Church pie store, raised three children, four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. 

When Lexie, 25, had her first baby, she decided to prepare a sweet surprise to share the news with her grandfather. 

'Our photographer takes pictures of veterans free of charge and my great-grandfather is very near and dear to her,' Lexie said.

'When I told her that I was having a baby, she immediately jumped on it and said, "We have to get photos with your great grandpa because this makes five generations."' 

Muirhead was blindfolded when the camera started rolling, having no idea that he would meet his first great-great-grandchild in the next moment.

When Lexie, 25, had her first baby, she decided to prepare a sweet surprise to share the news with her grandfather

Muirhead met his wife, Inez, when buying a pineapple cake from a Church pie store

The couple raised three children, four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren

'Oh sweetie! What in the world are you doing,' he said and gave a kiss to little Millie. 'Isn't she pretty? Look at her.'

As he attempted to reach out to give the baby girl a hug, tears welled up in his eyes, and he was unable to continue speaking. 

'It was really amazing to look into his eyes and to see the joy that she brought him. I know it meant a lot for him to be able to meet her,' Lexie told . 

'When my great-grandfather went to war, he never knew if he was coming back to his wife, let alone come home at 101 and meeting his great-great-grandchild,' she added. 

Muirhead married Inez before he left for the war, and he still remembers the moment when his bride crying and calling his name as she ran beside the tracks when he left.

Inez moved to California and lived with her sister. They distributed tools to assigned workstations in a shipyard for more than two years.  

'My sweet Inez wasn't Rosie the Riveter, and I wasn't Clark Gable. But we both served our country,' Muirhead said in. 

Muirhead married Inez before he left for the war, and he still remembers the moment when his bride crying and calling his name as she ran beside the tracks when he left

After 1945, Muirhead became an oilfield worker and Inez was a stay-at-home mother. The couple spent a lot of time together and enjoyed visiting flea markets, church and classic car shows

Muirhead served in the Army Air Corps during the war, primarily stationed in Germany and Finland. He now lives in Wewoka, Oklahoma

After 1945, Muirhead became an oilfield worker and Inez was a stay-home mother. The couple spent a lot of time together and enjoyed visiting flea markets, church, and classic car shows.

The couple celebrated their 79th anniversary on July 15, 2021. In the same year, Inez died from dementia.

'I just want her to reappear and lay her head on my shoulder one last time. I wouldn't even care when my arm went numb, because she would be there, smiling up at me,' Muirhead teared up as he recalled moments with Inez. 

'Everything that he has fought for all just makes sense now,' Lexie couldn't hold back her tears and said

Lexie said her great-grandfather still lives on his own at the age of 101, despite having children living nearby

'Everything that he has fought for all just makes sense now,' Lexie couldn't hold back her tears and said. 

'Watching my great-grandfather cradle her in his arms — and she was just soothed. It's almost like that's what he has long held on for, for so long. To me, he is the definition of a true American hero.' 

Lexie said her great-grandfather still lives on his own at the age of 101, despite having children living nearby.  

'He still gets up and makes his breakfast, eats his lunch, and he's in bed before the sun goes down, I think.

' 

'The reason we recorded it was so we can show it to Millie some day,' Lexie said, adding that she did not expect worldwide attention when she made the video. 

'But if I could just spread one message to anyone, it would be to cherish those moments with your family and that God is very good for allowing us to give this opportunity to him and our family — and be able to spread it across the whole world.' 

 'This is something we will cherish forever,' Fowler added.