When my son was 6 months old, the Army called me back to serve. I was sent to Iraq by the time he was 9 months old.

His way of staying close to me was playing with a pair of my boots that I left at home. As he grew, he would stand in my boots and later walk around our home wearing my boots.

My wife decided to make the outfit in the picture, but could not find boots for our son.

A year later, when I came home, my son started asking for boots like daddy. I asked my son why and he said “I be like you” I asked why. In a tiny voice he said, “a hero.” I looked at my wife. She explained that while I was in Iraq, when they were out shopping, someone had told him his daddy was a hero.

Thanks to Preschoolians, my son has boots like daddy and proudly wears them everywhere