Sailor’s return home makes ‘best Mother’s Day gift’ for mom

The last time Tracy Davis had her entire family together was May 2011.

Her son, Blane Davis, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, left home for a three-year deployment to Japan. It was around Mother’s Day.

His return home on Thursday – three days prior to Mother’s Day 2014 – is a present Tracy Davis was happy to receive.

“That is absolutely the best Mother’s Day gift I could ask for,” she said.

Blane Davis, 22, was welcomed home by a slew of American flags and community members who gathered Thursday evening at the Raceway Bar and Grill on Papago Road.

Maricopa’s chapter of Blue Star Mothers, a national organization that began during World War II and has chapters nationwide, organized the event. Tracy Davis is chapter president.

The car in which Blane Davis rode was escorted by a motorcycle procession down State Route 347 and onto Papago Road.  

Davis, a 2010 Maricopa High School graduate who grew up in the city, was greeted by family, friends, community leaders, Girl Scout troops and fire trucks.

Davis admitted he’s not a “camera person,” but said it was great to have everyone welcome him home.

The 22-year-old will be home on leave for two weeks before traveling to his next station in Guam for a two-year deployment.

Tracy Davis said they worked out a plan to ambush her son near Maricopa’s Bashas’ where the motorcycle riders were waiting. Coming up with schemes to surprise the person coming home is one piece of the welcome home parties that Blue Star Mothers organize.

“That’s always the fun part of it,” she said.

Davis said his mom, dad, sister, brother-in-law and niece were present at Raceway. His girlfriend, who he’d been communicating with through Skype during his deployment, assisted with surprising the sailor.

When InMaricopa.com asked what it was like to see his girlfriend after all this time, Blane Davis replied: “It was great.” He then added: “It was beyond great.”