Photo Of Single Dad And Exhausted Son Has Gone Viral, The Story Behind The Image Will Make Your Day

Cadet Kevin Ivey spent 8 years in the Marine Corps in both Iraq and Afghanistan. But all of that time overseas took it’s toll on his marriage, and after his latest deployment Ivey found himself a single dad.

Recently someone snapped a candid picture of Ivey and his son in public at a Texas A&M Football game.  In it, the young boy is sound asleep.

The photo was posted online and along with it the true story of the father and son was uncovered.  Their sweet tale has since spread around the internet, inspiring people all over the world.

son

Via Facebook 

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Via Youtube 

A former commanding officer inspired Ivey to join the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M, and so Ivey and his son made a plan for a new start. Ivey took his new situation and made the best of it.

The transition from military to civilian life was a difficult one, and on a limited budget Ivey had a really tough time finding an apartment for his little family. So Ivey and his son Calvin did the only thing they could: They slept in their truck in the Texas A&M Parking lot.

kid and vet

Via Youtube 

Ivey expected trouble from their seemingly transient lifestyle, but when campus officers knocked on his window in the wee hours of the morning, things didn’t go as Ivey expected. The officers were veterans, and offered to pay for a hotel and the deposit on an apartment so that Ivey and his son could have a restful night.

One of the officers explained,

“Between the three of us military veteran officers, we knew we couldn’t leave a fellow veteran and his young son sleeping in their truck on a hot summer night. We decided to all chip in some money to get Kevin and son a hotel for the night. We offered the hotel to Kevin and he quickly said he did not want charity or a handout. We told him it was neither of those. It was fellow veterans taking care of another veteran in need. As a veteran family we have given so much for our country. If we can’t at least take care of each other how can we expect others to help us? I specifically told Kevin that he was now joining another large family, the Aggie Family. I’ll be damned if I let another veteran Aggie go in need without me trying to do whatever I can to help them.â€

It was a truly beautiful example of brotherhood and kindness.  As the cadet commander commented in the video below, “THIS is what our Corps — and our country — is all about.â€

Check out this clip for the full story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW1kNaHN6zg

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