Navy Operation Specialist Kendrick Killings had been deployed overseas in Japan since October 2016.
“Out of the 12-year career, this is the longest I’ve ever been separated from him," said his wife, Angelina Killings.
And it was because of his wife and the rest of his family that Kendrick was able to return home.
On March 23, 2017, Angelina needed surgery to remove her gall bladder. Just one day earlier, his mom had a double mastectomy to remove breast cancer.
"It was a like a double whammy, mom and wife, and being over there he felt defenseless. Nothing he could do,” said Angelina.
Then via the Red Cross, Kendrick was able to come home and be with his family once again.
However, he kept his return under wraps from a very special member of his family: his 7-year-old daughter Ava.
