MIA Father

A student applying for readmission came to me this afternoon to obtain my recommendation. His letter to the dean explained that his grandfather was the main breadwinner of their family because his father was "missing in action". But since his grandfather passed away recently , the student had to take on a job (which was mainly why he often missed classes) to help his mother who was now struggling to make ends meet and put him and his two younger siblings through college and another much younger sibling through grade school. I then inquired if his father was a member of the military. To my surprise he said that that wasn't the case. When he added with a meaningful look that his father simply "went missing in action" I realized what he meant.