For every single second of my life, from the moment she knew she was pregnant with me to the present time, my mom has made it her mission to love, support, and provide for me - every step of the way.
Now, I know this is the case for almost every mom who has ever existed, but in part because I'm more than just a little bit biased in this regard and in part because it's true, the love and care my mom has given to me has been a cut above the rest.
Though they both worked hard to give my sisters and me everything we needed growing up, and beyond when we were out on our own, my dad always worked the more physically demanding jobs, as a car mechanic, a maintenance man who worked for the railroad, and then later, as a factory and tractor-trailer mechanic.
SEE ALSO (VIP): Masculinity Is Back, and It's About Time
Because my mom was aware of this, and also because there was the occasional "honey do" list for my dad to handle on the weekends, mom would do everything else she could for my dad in the evenings and on weekends - in between taking the lead on raising three young girls and also caring for my grandmother (her mom) - to make sure he didn't feel overwhelmed and overworked.
There were times when they tried to complement each other in that regard. For instance, sometimes he'd come home from work and cook out, or would do so on a Saturday or Sunday. There were also times when he needed to shuttle my sisters or me to doctor appointments when Mom couldn't get away from her work. But for the most part, my mom took on the traditional roles of supportive mother and wife for the entirety of her marriage to my dad.
Though I have certainly not been privy to every conversation my mom has had in her life, I do know that I've never heard her complain about all she was doing during that time, not once. And that held true after she became my dad's full-time caregiver, sticking by him through some of his darkest, most challenging days, willing him to continue on. Trust me when I say my mom took the "in sickness and in health" part of her wedding vows very seriously.
And though she would have been flattered by a "mother/wife of the year" acknowledgement, it's not something she would have actively sought to obtain.
Distinguished awards and other special commendations are nice. There's a special thrill, an immeasurable sense of pride in getting the formal, sometimes public recognition from your contemporaries for a job exceptionally well done - especially considering that in many cases, the person or persons receiving the accolades never once sought them out.
Case in point, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover. President Trump told his amazing, heroic story the night of the State of the Union address:
There were many heroes on that January raid to capture Maduro. Really great heroes. It was very dangerous. They knew we were coming. They were all set. But the deeds of one warrior that night will live forever in the eternal chronicles of military valor. Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover planned the mission and was the flight lead in the cockpit of the first helicopter. A big, beautiful, powerful helicopter. Was a massive Chinook carrying, as you can imagine, many, many American warfighters wearing the dog tags his wife Amy had blessed with holy water before he left. She knew it was going to be a rough one. Eric steered the Chinook under the cover of night and descended swiftly upon Maduro’s heavily protected military fortress. This was a major military installation, protected by thousands of soldiers and guarded by Russian and Chinese military technology. How did that work out? Not too good.
While preparing to land, enemy machine guns fired from every angle. And Eric was hit, very badly, in the leg and hip, one bullet after another. He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces. And yet, despite the fact that the use of his legs was vital to successful helicopter flight, Mike said the most important part of flying a helicopter to deliver the many commanders who would capture and detain Maduro was the only thing Eric was thinking about. And even as he was gushing blood, which was flowing back down the aisle - helicopter lands at a steep angle. The machine guns stood right in front of him. They were right in front of him. Two machine-gunners who escaped the wrath of the previous planes. Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy, and let his gunners eliminate the threat, turn the helicopter around so the gunners could take care of business, saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory.
Only after safely landing the helicopter with all the warriors aboard in the exact right spot, which was vital to the mission, probably would have happened. Maybe cancel the mission if that didn’t happen. Eric told his copilot, also wounded, but not as gravely, to take over. I’m about ready to pass out. The success of the entire mission, and the lives of his fellow warriors hinge on Eric’s ability to take searing pain. It was unbelievable what’s happened to his legs. Of the bullets and keep on flying and landing. People knew what was happening. Everybody in the back of the helicopter knew because they saw the blood pouring down the aisle. Chief Warrant Officer Slover is still recovering from his serious wounds, but I’m thrilled to say that he is here tonight with his wife, Amy.
And we all know what Trump did next:
Each one of those bars on his right sleeve represents six months deployed overseas in a combat zone. Dude is literally an American hero. https://t.co/aWKdJC4zFI
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) February 25, 2026
Slover didn't seek out the praise nor the medals, but he earned/was awarded them, nearly giving his life in service to his family and his country:
Put this dude on a recruiting poster and the military will never have manning issues again. pic.twitter.com/8up6WikHSE
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) February 27, 2026
How big of a deal is a Medal of Honor?
— John Ʌ Konrad V (@johnkonrad) February 27, 2026
The tradition is for everyone in this photo to salute CW5 Slover when he walks by. That’s how respected it is. pic.twitter.com/QUFxLIubjs
Standing quietly but resolutely by Slover was his wife, Amy, who, as Trump noted, supported her husband and his military brothers and sisters in her own way prior to the start of Operation Absolute Resolve.
And in a moment that didn't get a lot of attention but which many men and women who were watching implicitly understood, this genuine American hero, who will be talked about and lauded in military circles and beyond well after anyone reading this is gone, reached out for his wife's hand in support as he maintained his grip on the walker he needed to use. They exchanged loving, knowing glances as the cameras rolled:
Alongside every strong husband is a strong wife. Marriage is such a beautiful gift. pic.twitter.com/f1BOhjY2F0
— Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) February 27, 2026
One former special ops pilot had this to say about Amy Slover:
We also need to honor Amy Slover. She has stood by Eric’s side through thick and thin. The pride in her eyes is evident. I’ve said on here before that Nightstalker wives are just built different.
They endure, they support, and they do it all alone. When we leave we have the easy job. These ladies spend many nights alone, experience too many rapid departures.
These ladies make us what we are. None of us would be where we are without them.
Anthony Tata, the Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness, agreed and posted this response:
Correct. Military spouses, like Amy Slover, and their families serve also. They often have their own careers while also being master logistician and commander of the household all at the same time.
There are many more wives, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, etc, who are happy, content, and fulfilled in their hardworking, supporting roles and whose only ask in return is for a hug or peck on the cheek or kind word at the end of a long day - and to not let that support be in vain.
America was built in part on the shoulders of such women, and she will survive with the help of such women, long after the AWFLs of society become a mere embarrassing footnote in the annals of American history.
