Tracy Caliendo and family.Photo:Tracy Caliendo
Tracy Caliendo
After sitting out of the fun on a family vacation, this lucky father of five got to sit back and relax during their flight back home.
Tracy Caliendoand her husband, Pete, took their seven-person brood down to Florida for their kids’ winter break, but Pete didn’t spend much time in the southern sunshine. Unlike his wife, the finance professional wasn’t able to take a week off work, and he spent most of the getaway working from a hotel room.
“We both make sacrifices,” Tracy added in the caption.
In the video — which has over 3 million views and 140,000 likes on the app — Pete made playful remarks about his luxurious plane placement. He shared a laugh with his wife as he told her, “If you need bread and water, just stay back there.”
Tracy Caliendo and family.Tracy Caliendo
(In 2019, Tracy opened up to PEOPLE about howthey conceived Harlow through IVF, then welcomed Piper and Presley via surrogatewithin the span of 13 months.)
Many TikTok users shared their appreciation for Tracy’s gesture. “That’s so cute and thoughtful! I love the humor too!” one viewer commented. Another person agreed, “This is a true marriage.”
Others, however, questioned the busy mom’s generosity, wondering why she gave her husband a “break” but didn’t cut herself some slack as well.
Speaking to PEOPLE, Tracy insists that any negative responses fail to consider the video’s circumstances.
Tracy Caliendo and her kids.Tracy Caliendo
Tracy, who also works in finance, notes how her husband has to be on during market hours, meaning the period between 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m when the stock market is open. So when she and their five kids were basking in warm weather and splashing in the swimming pool, Pete was stuck inside “trading the markets,” his wife explains.
She continues, “That was a sacrifice that he made because the kids were off, I was off, and we still wanted to go away.”
The surprise plane seat upgrade served as more than just an opportunity for Pete to recoup after a tough week. Tracy tells PEOPLE he was “basically giddy” to fly with an extra level of calm and comfort.
“Our kids are very well-behaved, but you never know with kids on a plane. My husband always jokes, ‘How about I’m up at first class, and you guys — good luck.’ So basically his joke came to fruition,” she says, adding, “He was thrilled.”
Furthermore, Tracy maintains her post-vacation sacrifice wasn’t as taxing as some seem to believe. Their eldest son, 17-year-old Hunter, stepped up to help Mom in the back of the plane while Pete relaxed some seats ahead.
“Yes, we divide and conquer. Together we’re stronger as a team. But sometimes one has to step a little bit away just to take a deep breath,” Tracy tells PEOPLE. “I think we’re super sensitive about that.”
source: people.com
