Two-Year-Old Cheeses When Military Dad Returns Home After 19 Months

A two-year-old "cheesed from ear to ear" when her military dad, who left home when she was just six months old, reunited with her after 19 months of long-distance deployments. Ian Rivera missed many of daughter Esme's milestones while serving his country – such as her first word, first steps and first birthday. Back in July 2024, Ian, a petty officer with the United States Coast Guard, was assigned to his second duty station, in Charleston, South Carolina. At the time of the move, Ian and his wife, Gabriela, had just purchased a home in Puerto Rico, where Gabriela is originally from, and Ian was based for his first duty station. Gabriela decided to stay behind in Puerto Rico to raise the couple's young daughter, giving her a family support network while also having to work full-time and navigate motherhood.

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