Families of Minnesota National Guard members cope with separation during Mother's Day
MINNEAPOLIS — The calendar on Sunday said "Mother's Day," but for some families, celebrations will have to wait until hundreds of more days for Minnesota National Guardsmen and women come home.
They left at the beginning of February, and it's been a countdown ever since for Michon Pfeffer.
"So it's 220 days, and 13 hours and nine minutes and 30 seconds," Pfeffer said.
Her son, Isaiah, is on his first-ever deployment overseas. WCCO met them both at the departure ceremony and checked in on Monday about how things are going three months in.
"He doesn't talk much about the day-to-day other than it's a lot and there's lots of forms (laughs)!" she said.
More than 550 Minnesota National Guard soldiers in the 34th Infantry Red Bulls are in Kuwait. The 10-month deployment is in a rough neighborhood, too, and that was never more apparent than on April 13. Iran launched more than 300 missiles at Israel. The United States, Israel and other allies shot down almost all of them.
"He didn't tell me much other than 'our stuff works.' That was the bottom line," she said.
On Sunday, Isaiah Pfeffer joined other Red Bulls for a special message for their moms in Minnesota. But they're not the only ones missing family.
Sgt. 1st Class Nikita Bergstrom is also on her first deployment. Her husband and two young daughters are back in Eagan.
"I like to sneak out when (the kids) are about to go to daycare and I do a Facetime call with them," Bergstrom said.
The kids may not totally get what's happening now, but Bergstrom knows she's doing what moms can do best: be a role model.
"I think what keeps me going is knowing that I'm here with a bunch of people that I support, trust, and we're doing a mission that's bigger than ourselves," she said.
The Red Bulls are expected to return sometime in December, and hopefully in time for the holidays.
