Navy Sailor Returns Home to Peabody to Meet His New Son

Thirty-three-year-old Robert Bruce was on his way home to Peabody to meet his three-week-old son for the first time on Sunday.

Robert, who's actually a Saugus native, is a second class boatswain mate in the U.S. Navy stationed on the U.S.S. Pearl Harbor out of San Diego, Calif. and just finished a humanitarian mission to the Pacific Islands.

Wife Melissa, 34, and young Jaxson Grey Bruce were anxiously awaiting his arrival at Logan Airport Sunday afternoon said Cheryl Whittier of Peabody, who is Melissa's mother.

Cheryl told Peabody Patch the couple was living in San Diego until they found out Melissa was pregnant. Not long after that, Robert was due to ship out on a humanitarian mission across the Pacific that brought supplies, education, etc, to the people of Tonga, the Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands and numerous other places.

"Robert was excited about the mission to help people, but was devastated that this would mean he would be missing the birth of their first child, which they found out was going to be a baby boy," Cheryl said.

With no relatives in California, the couple decided to move mom and baby-to-be back home to Peabody.

"My daughter was twenty-four weeks pregnant at the time of his departure, and it was very emotional for them," she said.

"The two of them communicated through email each day while my daughter sent pictures of ultrasounds and her growing belly so he didn't miss a thing," Cheryl said. "Robert left voice messages to his son ahead of time for my daughter to play to their baby while he was gone in hopes he [Jaxson] would recognize his [father's] voice when they meet."

Cheryl said she and her husband acted as "coaches" and he was tasked with photographing the delivery for Bruce to see afterward. Meanwhile, Robert received his second class promotion as well as a Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist award.

"He tried his hardest to get off ship for delivery and it wasn't allowed. Melissa was cleared of risk and had a normal delivery on her due date, July 27," she said. "Robert was able to get a call to her and it was ten minutes after the delivery of their son he was able to hear his son cry for the first time via phone."

"It was a beautiful moment to witness the love they have for one another and the strength it takes to be a military spouse, as well as all the sacrifices any active duty service member makes for his family and country," Cheryl said.

In the weeks since then, Melissa sent daily emails with pictures of Jaxson and Robert was able to fly home from Hawaii a week earlier than first expected.

"I can't tell you the excitement we all have for this special moment. It is a true testament of the strength, support and love they have for one another," Cheryl said.