Airman Returns Home To American Wife
A Colorado airman returns from a yearlong deployment and KRDO was there to catch the joyful family reunion.
Maj. Christopher Mortenson returned home from Iraq to his wife of nearly 19 years. A lot changed over the past year including the fact that his British bride became a U.S. citizen while he was away. She couldn?t wait to give him a big old American kiss.
?Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up,? said Andrea Mortenson quietly to herself as she peered down the hallway hoping to get a glimpse of her husband.
Andrea had been waiting for 371 days for her husband to return. He has been in Iraq supporting Operation New Dawn in his first yearlong deployment
?I don’t know if you ever really can prepare for your spouse being gone for so long,? said Andrea. ?It?s been way too long and we missed him terribly.?
Her wait ended as she opened her arms to embrace her husband.
?It?s wonderful to see his face,? said Andrea. ?I can’t really put it into words.?
Christopher was glad to be home and eager to catch up with his family after missing out on some important milestones.
?This was a pretty important year in my kids lives,? said Christopher Mortenson. ?It was a little tough.?
?My daughter started high school,? said Christopher.
?And I?m a sophomore in high school I haven’t seen him since I was a freshman,? said Julia Mortenson, 15. ?And this is just really happy for me.?
?My son was in his junior. year in high school getting ready for college so you know preparing for the future and making those transitions is a pretty important time in their lives,? said Christopher.
Andrew, his 17-year-old son was absent for a reason.
?He?s at home cause he didn’t want to see mom and dad smooching,? said Andrea. And smooch they did.
?Honestly, I didn’t know that I was tough enough to really get through it,? said Andrea. ?But it was one of those things where I just said, ?One day at a time.??
The family will not be separated again. That?s because Mortenson retires from the military in February, after serving 19 years.
Mortenson is an instructor at the National Security Space Institute in Colorado Springs.
