A Wilton woman didn’t think that she would be able to spend the holidays with her sons.
By Donna M. Perry
Staff Writer

WILTON – Sgt. Karen Corbin had a second chance to say goodbye to her sons before heading overseas to Iraq. She also gained some special time with them during the holidays.

A member of the 133rd Combat Engineer Company C, Detachment 1 of the Army National Guard, Corbin is scheduled to head to Fort Drum in northern New York for training this week and then to ship out to Iraq.

She said her goodbyes to her children in November. But then, the unit was given a reprieve that let them spend time with family members for the holidays.

In November, Corbin also had driven her 10-year-old son, Carl, to Virginia where he will stay with family while she’s gone for 18 months. Her older sons, Chris and Cory Veilleux, live with their dad in Jay. She lives in Wilton and it was easier to see them.

“It’s a special treat to have Carl,” Corbin said Friday. “He’s been here since Christmas Eve. He’s going back today. I didn’t think I’d be here for Christmas, and I didn’t think it was possible to see him since he was in Virginia.”

But things worked out and he was able to come home.

She had left Carl’s Christmas present in Virginia for her sister to give to him on Christmas.

Corbin did a little extra shopping to give him gifts here. The present in Virginia still awaited him unopened, she said.

Corbin and her sons watched movies and talked during the holidays, enjoying each other’s company.

Her older boys were going back to their father’s Friday morning.

Cory Veilleux said he enjoyed very much the time he spent with his mother. His brothers, Carl and Chris, agreed with him with nods of their heads.

Corbin and Carl planned to spend some special time together before she took him to the airport.

“That’s going to be the hardest part; saying goodbye to him,” Corbin said, her voice cracking.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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