A woman has shared her family’s poignant—and unique—tradition with the internet in advance of her husband’s deployment.
A video posted to Instagram last month by Beatriz Willis (@hellowillisfam) has gone viral after she revealed the “deployment wall” the couple set up to ease the pain of separation with photos and letters. Since the video was posted, it has received over 3.5 million views. Willis, 28, spoke to Newsweek via email about how the tradition began and how this last one is the most meaningful of all.
“The beginning of our last deployment wall,” Willis captioned the video. “It’s not done yet! We still need a lot of things added and the countdown…we will finish it once he deploys.”
Willis said her husband Kyle has been on four deployments in the past three years, and they have always done “some variation” of a deployment wall. But this time, instead of just a countdown to the day her husband returns, they decided to add more elements.
“I have seen other military spouses post about their deployment walls, and I found inspiration from them and then added my own little twist to it,” she said.
In a follow-up video, Willis revealed all of the wall’s special features: a countdown, a play area with stuffed animals, wall clocks reflecting the time difference and even chocolate “kisses” from the kids’ father. So far, they love it.
“The kids have been using it, they love going over there to draw pictures and look for ‘kisses’ from Daddy,” Willis said. “This is just a great way to make them still feel connected with Kyle while he’s gone.”
@hellowillisfam/Instagram
‘Extremely Lonely’
Willis said that being a military wife is a “unique” journey and lifestyle that only few people can relate to.
“You typically only stay in one area for three to four years at a time, certain jobs require the military member to deploy, and generally you’re away from the rest of your family, so you have to depend a lot on the community you build,” Willis explained.
With three deployments under their belt, she said she can see the differences in their family during this fourth and final goodbye.
“Being on our fourth deployment, we have grown a lot since our first deployment. We have been through the ups and the downs, sometimes we’re thriving and other times we’re surviving,” Willis said, who also outlined one particularly difficult deployment while she was undergoing a high-risk pregnancy.
“Kyle didn’t get back until two weeks prior to our youngest being born,” she said.
In spite of the challenges, Willis said the deployments have shown the family how important their time together is. As more deployments have passed, and their kids have grown older, they understand more the treasure of having time with their father.
Willis said they rely on their faith in Christianity and sense of community to see them through such difficult times—and to help others going through the same thing.
“It can feel extremely lonely living the life of a military spouse, when most of those around you may not understand what you and your kids are going through,” Willis said. “[But] our ‘roots’ determine our reach, and our roots have grown substantially, and put us in an amazing position to reach others who are going through the same situation.”
Instagram Users React
Instagram users were touched by Willis’ effort to keep her children feeling close to their dad—and many chimed in with personal experience.
“I remember these days,” @katie.cartrett wrote. “It’s so hard as a kid to understand, but I think that is amazing that you guys are doing that as family, having a designated area for them.”
“As a daughter whose dad spent half of her childhood overseas, this sent chills!”
@dailydoseof.rose posted. “Heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Sending you and your family the most love.”#
“This made me tear up,” @hannahehutton added. “What a beautiful way to help your kids process in ways they’re able.”
