SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — After seven months away from home, the USS Fitzgerald returned to San Diego, bringing 330 sailors back to their families in an emotional homecoming ceremony.
For Kylan Carwell, the wait felt endless. The young boy had been counting down the days until his mother's return from deployment.
"We love you and we miss you. Last one, yeah, no more deployments," Carwell said, sharing his planned words for his mom.
When he finally spotted her among the returning sailors, his excitement was unmistakable.
"There she is, there she is! Mom!" he called out.
The reunion was emotional for hundreds of families gathered at the naval base. Many reflected on their pride in their sailors' service.
"This is his first homecoming from deployment. He's been out here in San Diego for about 2.5 years now, so excited to have him home," Cindy Sikes said.
For some spouses, the reality of their sailor's return didn't fully sink in until the final moments.
"I feel like it didn't really hit me that he was coming home until they were passing under the bridge," one family member said.
Commanding Officer Paul Richardson led the USS Fitzgerald through multiple missions.
"We spent some time in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden," Richardson said.
Richardson expressed his admiration for the 330 sailors under his command throughout the challenging deployment.
"I am in awe of them each and every day, the effort that they put in, the resiliency that they've shown. As you know, it's not easy to be away from your friends and families for 7 months," Richardson said.
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