A Soldier’s Return: A Heartwarming Military Reunion
One of the most difficult sacrifices for service men and women is being separated from their families—sometimes by thousands of miles. It’s not just the longing for each other’s presence, but the missed milestones: birthdays, weddings, funerals, and even births.
Skyler Cooper, a member of the Kansas Army National Guard, experienced this firsthand during his seven-month deployment to Kuwait. His wife, Cydney, was pregnant at the time, and with two young sons, Leighton and Corbett, at home, the stress was overwhelming.
But there was more than just the distance that weighed on Cydney. She was carrying twins, and at 33 weeks pregnant, she fell ill with the flu. This led to an unexpected premature birth of twin girls, Emma and Kyla. While the babies remained in the NICU, Cydney had to juggle hospital visits with caring for their two older children, pushing her to the edge.
As Cydney later admitted, she was “hanging on by a string.” Little did she know, a beautiful surprise awaited her just around the corner.
A Surprise That Took Her Breath Away
While sitting in the hospital with one of her newborn daughters, Cydney received a simple text from her husband, Skyler, asking how she and the babies were doing. Moments later, however, Skyler walked into the room himself, holding an American flag balloon and flowers in his hands.
Skyler had been planning this surprise for weeks, but the emotional reaction from Cydney was beyond what he could have imagined. In an interview with Good Morning America, Cydney shared, “I was in shock. I felt like I had to almost take a breath again. I had been bouncing around so much between our boys and the girls, I was also relieved.”
The surprise didn’t end there. Later, the couple was able to surprise their two sons, capturing the touching moment on camera.
A Family Reunited
On Facebook, Cydney reflected on the journey: “1000s of miles, 1 solo pregnancy and delivery, 48,392 Skype calls, some superheroes, a few plane rides, 12 NICU days, tons of help from family and friends, and many tears later… a soldier came home.”
This emotional reunion serves as a tribute to the sacrifices made by military families and the strength that carries them through even the toughest of times. We are grateful for families like the Coopers and honor all those who serve in the U.S. military.