Several Utah military families were paid a visit last night from Second Lady of the United States Jill Biden. Dr. Biden, a military mom herself, spent more than an hour speaking to a small crowd at the Utah National Guard Air Base in Salt Lake City.
“I don’t know about you..but the first thing in the morning I would just wake up and say a prayer," says Jill Biden, sharing how she got through her sons deployment in Iraq in 2008. “Most American’s who don’t know military families they don’t realize what military families go through. Their loved ones are in harms way and it’s hard.”
Sherilyn Williams of Sandy, who’s son is serving in Afghanistan teared up after talking to Biden, saying it was nice connect with another mother who understands what she is going through: “She sent her son over and she understands where I’m at as a mom and I appreciate her support of those who have sent our loved ones out and that’s what it means to me. It’s just and emotional mother moment.”
Biden, who was in Utah with her husband for a political fundraiser met with several families as part of the Joining Forces program, which she created with First Lady Michelle Obama to support military families.
She crouched down to talk to 6-year-old Anna Love of Kaysville. Her dad is a pilot and is currently deployed in Kyrgyzstan. Now Emily Love has is busy raising 4 kids under the age of 6 but she says her experience is simple compared to most military families she knows.
“We have it pretty easy because his deployment aren’t very long compared to a lot of people that go for like a year. His are only for like 30-45 days. but...it takes a little getting used to.”