Many of the photos in Jaclyn Duhachek's home are hanging just three feet above the ground, at eye-level for her three-year old son, CJ. Her husband, Staff Sergeant Chamous Duhachek, is currently in Afghanistan on his sixth deployment, and she wants her son to remember his father.
During our day with them, CJ scurried around the house pointing at the photos, chattering away about his sisters Caitlin (12) & Madison (10), and his "Papa," who he says is away "protecting us." Jaclyn hangs Chamous' photos inside, and a U.S. Marine Corps flag outside—visual cues that she says make the distance easier for the family to endure.
But the spark generated by those little reminders can fade over time, and the Christmas holidays can prove a particularly dark time. Jaclyn says she often wishes the day would pass as quickly as possible.
This year, however, is different. The kindness of a stranger more than 900 miles away will light up the Duhacheks' holiday, with a bright, new way to remember Chamous, and a reminder of the support they have their own hometown.
To learn how you can brighten the holidays for a military family in your hometown, go to: http://www.christmasdecor.net/decorated-family.