One of the toughest sacrifices service members make is being separated from their families—missing milestones like weddings, funerals, and even births. For Kansas Army National Guard member Skyler Cooper, that sacrifice hit home during his deployment in Kuwait.
His wife, Cydney, was pregnant with twin girls while caring for their two young sons, Leighton and Corbett. The family anticipated Skyler’s return in late spring, but life had other plans.
At 33 weeks, Cydney fell ill with the flu and delivered Emma and Kyla prematurely. While the twins stayed in the NICU, Cydney juggled hospital visits and parenting her sons at home, describing herself as “hanging on by a string.”