When Karissa Rios’s uncle Raul first told her he was leaving for the army for a whole year, she said, “I was shocked, scared, and sad.” She said she was shocked because he never left for that long. ”I was sad because of COVID and him getting sick,” Karissa said. “I was also sad because he was leaving for a year, and I wasn’t going to be able to see him every weekend like I usually do”. 

Before he left he bought some things to remind him of his wife, two daughters, and family. For his daughter, he bought a onesie that reminds him of them. For his wife, he bought a shirt and he took a lot of pictures of his family.  

For the whole year, he was gone during holidays, and on his birthday the family sent him a letter, pictures of his kids and the family, and his favorite food. She also said that she and her family would facetime him all the time. When he was down at the army base, he and his army family would have a gathering to celebrate birthdays and holidays. 

It was a long year without him, but then the day was finally here. The day he came back home. When he got back home Karissa said, “I was happy and so excited to see him.” She was excited to spend time with him, and she made up all the memories that they missed together from the year he was gone.