It was a strange twist of fate that found two long-lost cousins reuniting halfway across the world.

Yeoman 2nd Class Danny Smith and Cmdr. Hasan Abdul-Mutakallim were serving in Naples, Italy when Raymond Smith, Danny Smith’s father and Abdul-Mutakallim’s uncle, had passed following a stroke and hospice care. The news, delivered by Senior Chief Culinary Specialist Carl Smith, Danny Smith’s brother, sent both reeling. But then came a surprise – Smith and Abdul-Mutakallim had worked less than 100 feet away from each other.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Ronald McGinnis Sr. is stopped in a passageway by Retail Specialist Seaman Destiny Muse. The conversation is passive until McGinnis says, "I’m leaving in December." She stops, choking on her words and responds, "Every time I get a mentor, ya'll leave." McGinnis measures his speech - he'll punch through most conversations, but the second someone speaks with emotion, he matches it, carefully enunciating, he says, "I'll still be here. We have Wi-Fi on board now. When you need me, call me. I'll always be here…”

The bleating of a poorly-timed collision alarm, the shaking of a steel rack, the nightmares of lost shipmates – for the crew of guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), what was supposed to be a routine strait transit became 11 hours of hell, 30 days of loss, and years of attempting to reclaim stability.

When a wall of water 133-feet high hit the coast, triggering the meltdowns of three nuclear reactors and beginning one of the worst disasters in Japan’s recent history, 7th Fleet responded immediately. Sailors across Japan deployed, and for those with family, like Quartermaster 1st Class Matthew Lenerville, it meant deploying while his household prepared to evacuate.

No matter the obstacle in her path nor challenges she may face, Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Silvia Bohorquez will not give up until she achieves her dream…