New Bedford Soldier Sends Special Message Back Home From Overseas

When a loved one serves overseas, it's completely normal to worry about them. I have a handful of friends who are either serving or on reserve and every time they have to leave, it's mixed feelings of pride and nerves for their well-being.

Let's be honest, it isn't exactly rainbows and butterflies went you're on active duty, so anyone diving into those waters these days are as courageous as they come.

Every now and then, a soldier will call back home or send a video to let everyone know that they're doing just fine, and that's exactly what Army Ranger Micah Kidney of New Bedford did.

Kidney sent a video to Old Rochester Regional High School where he's a math teacher and fellow Bulldog. This is what he had to say:

It truly is the little things in life that matter most. For Kidney, that one special thing he mentions is a wooden spoon made from either a tree or a piece of wood here on the SouthCoast, so that he can have a piece of home with him at the dinner table. This was a gift from Mattapoisett Police Officer Matt McGraw, who gifted it to Kidney prior to deployment.

Before becoming a Ranger, Kidney served 18 years in the Vermont Army National Guard in the mountains of Northern Vermont.

"This is my second year-long deployment; the first being to Eastern Afghanistan in the Hindu Kush mountains along the Pakistan border in 2010," Kidney said.

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Besides friends and family, Kidney reminisced about the good times he misses about home.

"I miss playing ice hockey and running along the coast in Southern New Bedford and seeing my favorite local band, called 'Mountain Weekend,' out of Middleboro," Kidney said. "I miss going out with friends to Brew Fish in Marion or Freestones City Grill in New Bedford."

I had asked Kidney what his "perfect package" would be of anything that reminds him of home.

"I'm totally happy with Army fine cuisine here," he said with a laugh. "If someone had anything extra to give, I love knowing that they provided it to someone in need in their community."

Kidney is beyond thankful and appreciative for the overwhelming support and care packages that were sent to his outpost over the past few months. With about seven months down, Kidney has four more to go before he can return back home to the SouthCoast.

He concluded his video message with a shoutout to ORR with a good old fashioned "Go Bulldogs!" because as the saying goes, once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog.

Lastly, I want to personally thank you, Kidney, for your service, especially during these trying and vulnerable times. To the 13 soldiers who recently gave the ultimate sacrifice in Kabul, trust that the nation nor I will not forget.

If anyone is interested in sending him a care package, please feel free to email me and I'll be happy to give you his postal location.