Fourteen.
That is the number of days left until I get to see my son’s sweet face for the first time since May 1st. Sadness of his absence has been replaced with excitement and pride. In just two weeks, I’ll be able to wrap my arms around my son, hold him close, tell him how proud I am of what he’s accomplished.
One of the places that I’ve found support during this journey is a support group for Marine parents online. I’ve connected and bonded with parents from my son’s platoon. The past few months, those message boards have been filled with sadness and many messages of the “I miss my son. I’m so sad” variety. The past few days have been filled with nothing but excitement from the others there. “Only 16 more days! We’ll be seeing our Marines soon! The end is almost here! Woooooo!”
Last night, in the midst of all of the celebratory-type postings, I found out one of the parents will not be attending the graduation. She’s deeply hurt. When the other parents saw her message, they begin offering to find her son on graduation day and let him call her from their cell phones, or to take pictures of her son so she could see him on graduation day.
I felt sick to my stomach for her and for her son. I can’t even begin to imagine not being able to attend my son’s graduation. I can’t begin to imagine how awful it would be for my son to not have any family there.
I posted this message on Facebook last night:
I just found out one of the mom’s in my son’s company won’t be able to make her son’s graduation because of money. I feel pretty devastated for her. I can’t even imagine not being able to watch my son graduate from boot camp. 
And because my friends are often, they begin asking how much she money would she need? Could they help? Could I set up a chipin page and ask for donations?
(I love my friends.)
I emailed this woman and asked her if she couldn’t go because she didn’t have the money or because she couldn’t get the time off of work? I said “if I could raise money for you, would you be able to travel.” She wrote back and said she absolutely could travel, she just didn’t have the funds. She told me she had tried to raise money online, but no one was willing to help her. Then she said “if you could make this happen, I will kiss you forever.”
I responded that I have amazing, kind, generous friends and that I would see what I could do for her.
I researched flights from her area and hotels and I do believe $1,200 should easily cover her expenses. If you are able to help, please click below and donate what you can. If you can’t help, please just spread the word. Let’s make sure that this mother can hug her Marine on August 10th.
Thanks in advance. You guys are the best. xoxo