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.
Ian’s duties saw him sent on deployments out of Charleston – usually around four months at a time –
and during the 19 months he was away, he only saw his wife and daughter twice, for no more than a couple of weeks at a time.
After such a tough separation, Gabi made the decision to move to Charleston with Esme, and so she and Ian decided to plan a surprise reunion for their daughter.
Gabi and Esme had moved to Charleston to settle while Ian was on one of his deployments, finding a daycare for Esme that would provide the location for her surprise reunion with her dad.
On March 19, Ian walked in to collect his daughter, and the two-year-old immediately started smiling as she saw her dad’s face.
Esme then hopped from a step she was standing on and headed over to her dad, who gave her a huge reunion hug and carried his daughter outside to enjoy the day.
Gabriela said: “My husband left when our daughter was just six months old, and now she is two.
“During that time, he missed so many important milestones – her first words, her first steps, her first birthday, and so many other moments that parents dream of being there for.
“That period was honestly the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced – I was working full-time while also raising our daughter full-time.
“Overnight, I had to learn how to navigate being a new mom, a homeowner, and completely independent, it was challenging in ways I never expected, but it also made me stronger.
“Watching that reunion is something I’ll carry with me forever.
“I had been waiting for that moment for so long.
“It also meant a lot to me because throughout his time away, I made a conscious effort to keep his presence alive for her – showing her pictures, videos, and always talking about her dad.
“Seeing her recognize him and feel that connection was incredibly emotional and reassuring.”
