Disney Channel’s 'Andi Mack' Tackles the Emotion of a Military Homecoming (Exclusive)

Progressive Disney Channel series Andi Mack took a poignant turn on Friday night’s episode (February 16).

The episode, called We Were Never, features a scene between Buffy (Sofia Wylie) and her mom, Patricia Driscoll (Siena Goines), who returns home from the military.

Jay Whittaker, who stars as Coach Purcell in the episode, is actually in the military. The heartwarming moment brought him to tears while filming because it replicated one of his own personal military experiences.

“What brought me to tears during the filming of ‘We Were Never’ was the brilliant execution by the cast and crew to make that moment so special. Veterans are constantly away from their families and coming home is always a magical moment,” he explains to Just Jared.

“That moment was so powerful to me because I’ve come home from assignments and deployments to my son and that first hug is so most important, it’s a memorable hug you’ll ever get. It meant a lot to me as a 14-year veteran that the Andi Mack team took time to address military members and the hardships that those families endure.”

Andi Mack airs on Fridays at 8PM ET/PT on Disney Channel.

Watch the cast explain the show’s many stories and their character’s complexities below!