Mark is devastated that his longtime girlfriend has spurned his marriage proposal. Upon graduating from college, she moves to California for a job opportunity, and he is left behind in Missouri. Unable to get a job, he joins the US Marine Corps. During deployment in Iraq, he is injured and returns to St. Louis, Missouri, where he is assigned to recruit future Marines. As the new guy, he is tasked to play Santa Claus at the local orphanage. During this activity he is captivated by a young girl who is saddened by being separated from her mother. This chance encounter will alter the course of his life forever.