BISMARCK, ND -- Soldiers serving overseas sacrifice a lot, but the friends and family they leave behind also make sacrifices.
The North Dakota mother of one of those soldiers was given an honor for being an outstanding military mom, but it came with a twist.
Brandon Carrigan has been serving in Kosovo since September, and as far as his mom knew he was still there.
The newly formed Military Ovation Organization arranged a ceremony to honor Teresa Carrigan for all she's done as a military mom.
"She's always asking who needs something, who's not getting any mail, can I send them this," says Brandon Carrigan. "Taking care of me and my unit as a whole."
As a single mom, Carrigan not only supports her son but is also a foster parent, and works with at-risk youth at the Bismarck Police Department.
What she didn't know when she went to accept her award was that it came with an extra surprise.
Brandon is home on leave for a few days and stopped by to say hi to his mom in person.
Brandon says there are a lot of military moms across the country who make sacrifices, and is thankful for all of the moms who give them the tools to wear their uniforms every day.
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