ATLANTA — It was a birthday surprise from 9,000 miles away!
An Atlanta couple is riding out the COVID-19 quarantine 9,000 miles apart, but that didn't stop one husband from celebrating his wife's birthday. Karen is here in Atlanta, and DJ is working in Antarctica -- the only continent in the world without a coronavirus case.
But 11Alive's Kaitlyn Ross reports he still managed to make her birthday special.
Photographers Karen and DJ love to surprise people with their pictures, but for Karen's birthday, it was DJ who pulled off the unexpected.
"On the way back from the restaurant, I saw this sign in my yard, and I was like, how did that get there," Karen said.
DJ accepted a contract to work with the National Science Foundation in Antarctica in February, but when it was clear COVID-19 was spreading rapidly across the world, the couple made the decision that he would stay there, to work.
When he realized he would miss Karen's birthday, he called his friends in Atlanta to make it up to her.
"Can you please do me a big favor and make me a happy birthday for Karen sign," he said.
When she pulled in the driveway, she felt the distance between them disappear.
"It meant the world. It's really hard. He was only supposed to go down for a 2-month contract, but since COVID started, we decided he should stay longer because our business is dead in the water right now and we need to have some kind of income coming in," she said.
The couple runs a photography business here, but they don't have any jobs lined up while everyone is stuck in quarantine.
Heading into summer is usually their busy season, but DJ will be heading into winter in Antarctica.
"The last sunset I'll get to see is on Friday, and it shouldn't be back up before I leave. So while you're enjoying summer days there, it will be cold, dark, and windy here," he said.
They both worked in Antarctica for 7 years, and have weathered two winters there but usually have more time to prepare.
"Karen did mail me some thicker long underwear and socks that I am hoping show up on this plane we just had," he said.
While they wish they could be together, Karen is glad DJ is safe, in the only place in the world without a COVID-19 case and a place he loves.
"It's an incredible place to go and work, you meet incredible people while you're there. It's an amazing life experience and I'm really grateful that we got to do it," she said.
They say it will be a long 4 months apart, but DJ's birthday isn't until September, so they're glad they'll be able to celebrate that together.