When you volunteer with Soldiers’ Angels, you may never fully see the impact of your support.

A letter tucked into a care package.
A few thoughtful items sent across the world.
A reminder to a deployed Service Member that someone back home is thinking of them.

These small acts of kindness can carry extraordinary weight.

At Soldiers’ Angels, we often talk about connection, about making sure no Service Member feels alone. And while every volunteer experience is different, one thing remains true: your support matters more than you may ever know. And sometimes, the connections formed through genuine care and shared humanity can last far beyond a deployment.

This is one of those stories.

A Care Package That Started It All

“In late 2003, I received orders for Korea with a report date of January 2004. Thanks to your organization, I received a few care packages while deployed and away from home. One package in particular really resonated with me, because it gave me some items that I needed along with a very nice letter from a girl named Corie. Corie and I began to correspond through AOL, Yahoo messenger and snail mail. We and even connected so much so that she and my wife became great friends. We stayed in contact throughout the rest of my Army career until I retired in January of 2013. Between several moves to different houses along the way after I retired, we lost contact somewhere around 2015.

Finding Each Other Again

Fast forward nine years to Aug 2024. My wife Michelle started to get sick so I thought it was important to let Corie know. I was able to eventually find her through several different services and left her several messages to contact me. On April 18, 2025, I lost my beloved wife of 25 years Michelle, after a long battle with several different illnesses. I continued to message Corie to let her know, but with no response. In October of 2025, Corie’s daughter told her that she had some messages on Instagram which she didn’t realize. She checked them and found out that I had been messaging her for months. She was heartbroken at the loss of Michelle.

A Connection That Endured

Corie has helped to get me through so much and helped to pull me through the loss as well as me being able to help her through some issues that she was dealing with at the time. Through several deep conversations, we realized that we have so much in common and we pretty much picked up where we left off when we last talked all those years ago. I arranged to meet her for the first time ever on Valentines Day of this year. I surprised her with a proposal and she said “YES”! We are currently engaged to be married in the near future. It was because of Soldiers’ Angels that we met 22 years ago and we couldn’t be happier. This goes to show that you never know the impact that a care package can have on a deployed soldier. It can literally change your entire life for the better.

The Power of Showing Up

Kenneth and Corie’s story is remarkable because it highlights the depth of human connection that can begin with something as simple as a care package. Most Angels will never see the full ripple effect of their support. But every care package, every note, every act of kindness contributes to something bigger:

• A moment of comfort during deployment
• A reminder that someone cares
• A connection to home when it’s needed most

That is the heart of Soldiers’ Angels.

Be the Connection Someone Needs

You may never know the full story behind the Service Member you support, but you can be part of it.

Whether you’re writing letters, sending care packages, or participating in volunteer opportunities, your time and compassion make a real difference. Join Soldiers’ Angels as an Angel volunteer and help ensure no Service Member feels alone.

About the Author

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