Being part of a military family can be tough, especially when a parent is away on deployment. One dad found a heartwarming way to support his young son during his time away. Meet Tom Baker, a major in the Air Force, who left behind a jar filled with 199 Hershey’s kisses before heading off to serve in Kuwait. Each kiss represented a night he would be away, allowing his son, Jake, to feel connected to him, even from afar.
Whenever Jake missed his dad, he could simply reach into the jar and pull out a goodnight kiss. No matter where the family went—whether it was a trip to Florida, a jaunt to Texas, or a visit to Grandma’s house in Georgia—Jake took his jar of kisses along, ensuring that he never missed a sweet send-off from Dad.
Military families sacrifice so much when loved ones are deployed. Since 2001, over 2 million American kids have experienced having a parent away on duty. During these challenging times, little moments of comfort, like a tasty chocolate kiss, can make a world of difference, providing a soothing balm to feelings of sadness and uncertainty.
You can see the joy on Jake’s face each night as he retrieved his goodnight kiss. It was a small but powerful reminder that Dad would soon be home. And as the kisses dwindled, Jake could count down the days until his father returned to give him those real-life hugs and kisses.
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In summary, Tom Baker’s creative gesture of leaving 199 goodnight kisses for his son while on deployment serves as a touching reminder of the bond between parents and children, even when miles apart.