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'Odyssey of Love' brings AF widow to late husband's former aircraft

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Scott Saldukas
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  A mother and daughter team recently stopped by Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., as a part of a cross-country journey to capture a photo with a retired aircraft that holds a special place in their heart.

Alison Miller and her daughter, Rachael-Grace Aganda, embarked on the journey June 18, 2014, when they became travel companions to voyage across the U.S. in a custom painted SUV and trailer to celebrate a late husband and father's life on what they call an "Odyssey of Love."

Alison and her husband, retired Air Force Master Sgt. Chuck Dearing, married in 1990 and unified their families, her three children and his daughter.

"It wasn't easy but we made it work because of the love we had for each other," she said. "For the most part it was an ordinary marriage, but it was very passionate and romantic. He was everything to me as I was to him."

In 2009, after Chuck had retired from active duty, the couple decided to live out their dreams and hit the road.

"We were living in New Jersey because Chuck was at McGuire Air Force Base. Then we decided to sell our house and all of our possessions and hit the road," she said.

She explained they thought they would be looking for a different state to move to, but after a few months into their journey their plans had changed.

"One day while we were driving Chuck looked over at me and asked, 'Why do we want to stop doing this, we are having the time of our lives?'" Alison said. "I could not have agreed more when he asked me. That was when Chuck and I decided travel the open road and continue to live our dream."

While traveling across America visiting anyplace they wanted and doing something people only dream of doing, an unexpected situation arose in September 2010 when Chuck was diagnosed with cancer. Through an aggressive treatment plan and five surgeries, Chuck had beaten the cancer and the couple was back on the road.

Unfortunately, not even three years passed before their adventure came to a screeching halt when Chuck's cancer had returned with a terminal diagnosis. After one week in a hospital and two-and-a-half weeks in hospice, Chuck passed away April 21, 2013.

Alison explained how important the time in hospice care was, especially their last conversation.

"He told me during our last conversation, 'I love our children so much and it's hard to say goodbye, but it is hardest of all to say good bye to you. It's hard to say goodbye to us.'" she said with tears filling her eyes. "I told him I would be ok, and I thanked him for being in my life, for loving me and how I would always remember him."

Remember him, share their story and celebrate her husband's life she has done by vowing to continue traveling on an "Odyssey of Love." On her journey she travels in a Ford Escape with a custom pink paint job called "Chuck's Watching Over Me" with a matching trailer and Chuck's flag.

After kicking off the mother-daughter excursion in June and traveling across the nation, the travel companions ventured to JB MDL with hopes of taking a photo of their vehicle near the aircraft Chuck worked on as an Airman.

"He used to be a flight engineer on the C-141 at one point and he absolutely loved it," she said. "He was so passionate about working on the 141 it was incredible, even though he got airsick." 

While there were many C-141s flown in their time, the reason for visiting JB MDLs Memorial Circle static C-141 display is because her husband had personally worked on the aircraft.

"That was Chuck's plane," she said. "When he found out they were going to be moving it to that spot as a static, he had to be on it."

He was. Not only did Alison's husband work day-in and day-out on the aircraft, but he played a major role in moving it to its final resting place.

"We are so excited to be here, this is truly amazing," Rachael-Grace said after her mom pulled the pink "Chucks Watching Over Me" vehicle and trailer under the wing of the C-141 her father had previously worked on. "He is up their smiling down at us right now."

Even though the ladies achieved what they had set out to do by taking a photo with their vehicle under the aircraft wing, Clint Williams, 57th Weapons Squadron resource advisor and photo coordinator, did one more thing for the travelers.

"Would you like to go inside and up to the cockpit?," he asked.

Without hesitation, the women said yes and made their way into the aircraft.

While in the cockpit, mother and daughter had the opportunity sit in the seat where Chuck had so many times before.

"This is right where he sat and worked," she said with tears in her eyes while looking at everything her husband once had responsibility of.

Even though Alison, Rachael-Grace and Chuck's flag pack up to depart the C-141, their "Odyssey of Love" is just beginning.