Military families face difficulties whenever a family member goes on duty. When soldiers are sent overseas, they have to say goodbye to their loved ones, possibly for the last time.
It’s hard to imagine knowing that the family might never be together again. While soldiers are away, they face life-threatening situations, hoping to return home to their loved ones. Those at home also struggle, dealing with challenges alone without their loved one’s support. Modern technology like video calls helps families stay connected, but it’s still difficult. This is the case for Lt. Michael Lemmons in the United States Navy. While Lemmons was overseas, his wife had their baby. Lemmons wasn’t alone; twenty-seven other crew members also missed their babies’ births. They all couldn’t wait to be released to see their families and meet their new babies. In the heartwarming video, Lemmons’ eyes light up when he sees his wife on the dock. He rushes to her and their newborn baby. She holds their tiny, adorable son. Overwhelmed with emotion, Lemmons says, “He’s perfect.” “Thank you.” Because he wasn’t home during childbirth, he wanted to thank his wife for managing everything alone. He knew it was hard to raise a family by herself. When she heard his gratitude, she started to cry. She felt recognized for all her hard work, even though it wasn’t obvious to others. With their newborn between them, Lemmons and his wife hugged each other. Now that he was home, they could be together again and strengthen their family bonds. Since Lt. Lemmons can’t stay home for long, he wants to cherish the time with his wife and newborn son. He knows he will have to leave again soon to serve his country. Viewers commented on YouTube about Lt. Lemmons meeting his son. One person said, “My husband was on the US Bataan for ten and a half months. There were about 150 new dads when they returned, not including the Marines.”
What do you think about how this Navy dad reacted to his newborn son?