Quantity of sleep has been fleeting for Brittany Otto, but quality got a big boost last week from Sleep Number and the Minnesota Vikings.
Otto has been raising her 5-month-old daughter, Arya, while her husband, Jordan, has been on a yearlong deployment with the National Guard.
While she has had help from her sister, Brittany has been navigating solo parenting and eagerly awaiting Jordan's return, which is scheduled for April 2022 and will enable him to hold Arya for the first time.
What keeps Brittany going?
"Knowing that he'll come home," she said. "And Arya. Honestly, having her here has really helped to get through it because she looks just like him."
Brittany said she advised Jordan to get as much rest as he can while he's gone because of the demands he will likely experience upon returning.
View photos of Vikings LB Eric Kendricks and Sleep Number boosting quality of sleep for local military family.
Her path to better rest was cleared when Sleep Number presented her with a king-sized Sleep Number 360 ® smart bed and FlexFit ™ 3 adjustable base, as well as temperature-balancing pillows and new bedding. The Otto bedroom received a complete makeover from interior design specialists, as well.
"The bedroom makeover means the world," Brittany said. "This room wasn't the greatest. There were things we were going to upgrade, especially the bed, and now we don't have to worry about that. [Jordan will get] to come home to a nice area. It's very exciting.
"Rest is very important right now, especially as a new mom," she added. "I get little naps here and there, so I sleep wherever I can. It will be nice to be comfortable."
When Brittany arrived back at her home Tuesday morning for the reveal, she was surprised by Eric Kendricks.
The linebacker who knows the value of quality sleep and has a Sleep Number 360 ® smart bed emerged from a delivery truck to greet Brittany and joined her for a video chat with Jordan, who was celebrating his birthday from afar.
The linebacker said he was honored to thank the Otto family as part of the Vikings Salute to Service efforts.
"We wear the Salute to Service gear when we play and have the pre-game sweatshirts and stuff like that, but when you talk to someone on the phone like [Jordan] and meet the Otto family who is living that life, it's a little different," Kendricks said. "Arya was full of energy. I'm glad I got to say hi to [Jordan] and wish him a happy birthday."
Vikings Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Martin Nance said the team values its partnership with Sleep Number and the opportunity to join forces in supporting military families.
"We play a great game. We recognize that the service men and women make that possible, so we want to honor them … to make sure military families feel recognized and appreciated," Nance said.
The father of two said it's hard to imagine a sacrifice like Jordan's of going so long without being able to meet Arya in person.
"I think that's why as Vikings we're so honored to recognize families like the Otto family," Nance said. "We realize they give so much when people aren't looking or the cameras aren't around. We want to go above and beyond to honor them."