Carol Stream soldier, daughter meet for first time
As newly arrived passengers at O'Hare International Airport gathered their baggage Christmas Eve, U.S. Army Sgt. Matt Vega clutched a precious package of his very own.
Only minutes before, the Carol Stream native had flown in from El Paso, Texas, having completed his third tour of duty in Iraq.
When he stepped off the plane, his wife, Stephanie, presented him with his 1-month-old daughter Leah.
“It was amazing,” Vega said. “Pictures and video don't describe how beautiful she really is.”
Leah, who was born Nov. 14, was nestled in her father's arms, her head sporting a bow with Army colors. This was his first physical contact with her, but it was far from his first glimpse. He had seen video of her immediately after her birth, courtesy of the Internet phone service Skype.
“The video over there was kind of shaky and not very clear at all,” he said. “So I didn't get a full picture of how beautiful she really is.”
It will be a short visit for Vega, whose welcoming committee included his sister Tiffany Vega, Stephanie's mother and father, Tom and Becky Knutson, and his brother-in-law Jeff Knutson.
He is scheduled to return to active duty in Texas in mid-January. In the meantime, he said he plans to eat Lou Malnati's pizza and hang out with his family.
As for the nation of Iraq, he said, “We trained them well. We set them up for success.”
“It's great to see him here safe, and it's just great to know he is back here,” 19-year-old Tiffany Vega said. “It was incredible to see him hold her for the first time. He was stunned. He didn't say anything because his breath was taken away.”
“She is only a month old and not nine months like we were expecting,” his wife Stephanie said. “It was just awesome getting to see her in his arms finally.”
Leah was delivered during an emergency Caesarean section because her heart rate had dropped and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck twice.
While Stephanie and Leah were in recovery, a nurse brought in a laptop, and Matt was able to see his wife and child via Skype.
“She is doing great. She is gaining a lot of weight. She left the hospital at 5 pounds and today she is 7 pounds, 4 ounces,” said Stephanie, who was carrying Matt's present to Leah, a bear in a soldier's uniform. (Press the button and you hear “The Army Goes Rolling Along.”)
A recent college graduate, Stephanie plans to pursue a career as a special-education teacher.
Matt's brother-in-law Jeff Knutson, whose son, Chase, was born 10 months ago, said, “It must have been heart wrenching knowing he wasn't there.”
But the family appreciates the sacrifice he made for his country. His mother-in-law, Becky Knutson, said, “We're so proud of Matt being in the Army.”
Becky said her son-in-law and daughter were high school sweethearts at Glenbard North High School. “He has been a big part of our family since day one. He's a wonderful guy,” she said.
Matt's father-in-law Tom Knutson said of his son-in-law's return, “It's a wonderful Christmas gift.”
Becky Knutson said Matt were escorted home by a Patriot Guard following their exit from O'Hare.