Hey Everyone!
This past weekend the Ketia4Kidz Foundation hosted an ice cream social at Ft. Benning, GA for 3rd Brigade/3rd Infantry Division families. 3rd Infantry is located on Kelly Hill at Ft. Benning. My father was a member of the 3rd Infantry when he and my mother were stationed at Ft. Benning. In 2003 he was deployed to Iraq and took part of the initial ground war. He was deployed for a year and half and I only got the chance to speak with him once every blue moon. The news was my map of my father. There once came a time when I honestly did not know if I would be able to hug my father ever again. Basketball became my outlet. God, my mother, school, and basketball were my priorities and they helped pass the time, keeping my mind off my father.
Both my mother and father were able to attend the event. My mom was definitely my backbone during my father’s deployment. Not once did I ever see her cry or be down in those tough times. She stayed strong and I thank her for that. She made sure I did well in school. Being a 1SG she was in charge of numerous soldiers working more than nine hour shifts a day. On the weekends she would drive me back and forth to Atlanta for AAU practices and tournaments. She was there when I got my drivers license. I didn’t realize it then but it was a huge help that I could get myself back and forth to school. She is truly my number one hero. I hope parents take advantage of her and ask her questions about how she made it through and managed to raise a calm respectful teenager. She deserves a lot of the credit. Thank you Mom, because I definitely don’t tell you enough!
This event really hit home for me because my family and I were once in these families actual shoes. I wanted to do something that would bring us all together where we could enjoy ourselves and conduct an event that would allow the families to take their minds off of loved ones deployed. The event touched not only the kids but the parents as well. I had tons of fun bringing joy to the kids and seeing them with huge smiles and ice cream smeared all over their faces.
……K4K
