BOSTON — Mike Palelli is a United States Coast Guardsman who’s been deployed to 13 countries with the Middle East Engagement Team, where he helps train foreign countries’ forces.

Palelli has been deployed for almost three years, and after serving in Bahrain for the past nine months, he was honored at Saturday night’s game between the Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets during the “8-Spoked Salute”.

His arrival was a surprise to his 6-year-old son, Massimo, and it created a wonderful family moment.