by Maddie Evangelous

Celebrating Christmas and birthdays can be difficult for eighth grader Michael DeProfio when his dad is 6,942 miles away working for the National Guard.

His father has gotten deployed to Iraq twice during his 20 years of service, once when Michael was six and again a few years ago. It was very difficult to go on with his everyday life knowing that his father was in Iraq. His latest deployment lasted one year. In addition to his trips to Iraq he leaves every other weekend to fix computers as part of his duties for the National Guard.

“During Christmas and my birthday my family and I skyped my dad, so it was like he was still at home,” DeProfio said.

His father’s absence not only affected his time with him, but it affected the way things at home were both with his sister and his mother.

“My sister and I fight a lot when my dad isn’t home, and I am often home alone because my mother works. My mother has to do all the work around the house,” DeProfio explained.

When Michael’s father is in Iraq, he often worries about his safety.

“When I hear about people dying in Iraq, I get nervous that it may be him, but then I remind myself that he is not actually in the battlefield and know that he will be okay,” DeProfio says.

His father’s absence sometimes makes Michael upset, but he has found ways to overcome his fears.

“Whenever I get upset about my dad not  being home, I always talk to my mom, so she can comfort me and I ask to call him to say hello,” DeProfio said.

“When I get the chance to call him, I usually tell him how sad I am to have him not here, but he always says he will only be there for a little longer,” DeProfio said.