Read the heartfelt letter Conner Stevens wrote to his mom, Kim, a military spouse and Walmart store manager.
May is Military Appreciation Month, a time to recognize and honor the service and sacrifices of members of the U.S. armed forces, past and present. The month is punctuated by many military holidays and commemorations, like Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day and Victory in Europe (VE) Day. But there’s one day dedicated to supporters of service members that is often overlooked: Military Spouse Appreciation Day.
We value the important role military spouses play. These heroes support troops at home and abroad, committing to an often-unpredictable life.
To honor these significant contributions and sacrifices, Conner Stevens, team lead at Store 1362, in Destin, Florida, penned a letter to his mom, Kim Stevens, store manager at Store 5845 in Niceville, Florida.
Conner’s letter reflects on growing up in a military family. His dad, Mark Stevens — store manager at Store 5872 in Santa Rosa, Florida — served in the Navy for 22 years before joining Walmart.
Dear Mom,
Growing up in a Navy family had its challenges, and some might say it was hard, especially with Dad deploying for extended periods, sometimes as long as nine months. He was even in Korea for an entire year. However, you were the glue that held us all together. You took care of me and Corbin and Cameron, all while maintaining your very demanding career at Walmart.
I remember Dad sending us gifts from overseas whenever he went to ports. He sent us a lot of cool things like shoes, movies and Pokémon cards. I also remember the videos he would send from time to time, especially when he was in South Korea.
As a parent, you are amazing. You did everything for us. Your strength and positivity always shone through when Dad was gone. You took us to all our after-school activities — soccer, basketball, T-ball and day care. We also ate a lot of Burger King! We had a very set routine to where I barely even realized at my young age that Dad was away at the time. You always made sure we had the best childhood we could have, giving us everything and making us your number one priority.
We would not be the family we have become without you. I would not have started my career journey with this company if it hadn't been for seeing how much Walmart did for you and our family. Your work ethic is incredible — I know where I get it from! Your success at Walmart has given me confidence to continue to grow in my own career and strive to be a store manager someday.
You are dedicated, strong and caring — just some of the words that come to mind when I think of you. You have always been dedicated to your family, friends and your Walmart team. Now, as an adult, I recognize how strong a person you are. I see how committed you are to us as a family and how driven you are by your team’s success at Walmart. It takes unbelievable strength to balance a life filled with uncertainty and always have a positive outlook on the future. I have taken these lessons from you and applied them to my advancing career with this company.
You and Dad are yin and yang in every way. You complement each other beautifully. Being married for 35 years, you grew up together and became great role models for our family by learning through adversity. You have built such a great support system for me and my brothers. We do so much together as a family still today. Family comes first to both of you, and when I have a family of my own one day, I truly understand how important togetherness is to have a happy, healthy family in the long run.
If I could go back in time and see you raising three kids and managing a successful career while Dad was deployed, I would say, “Thank you.” Thank you for always being available. Thank you for always putting us first. Thank you for being the pillar in our family. Thank you for all the things you have done that no one recognized you for. Thank you for showing up! I love you.
– Conner
