NASA Astronaut’s Daughter Speaks Out After Dad’s Return To Earth Sparks Concerns For His Health

Daryn Wilmore shared her sweet homecoming plan to welcome her father, NASA astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore, home after he was stuck in space for 286 days.

Butch and his fellow Starliner astronaut Sunita Williams made a splashdown off Florida’s Gulf Coast on Tuesday, March 18. They sparked widespread concerns about their health as they were captured being carried out on stretchers.

With bated breath, Butch’s daughter Daryn shared “the very final installment of ‘my dad is stuck in space,’ because he’s not anymore!”

NASA astronaut Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore’s daughter Daryn shared updates about her father’s return to Earth

NASA astronaut returns to Earth, smiling in space suit, attended by crew on a stretcher.

Image credits: NASA/Keegan Barber

“I’m proud of my dad and I love him so much,” she told her 33.1K followers on TikTok.

Butch shares two daughters, Daryn and Logan, with his wife Deanna Wilmore (née Newport).

Ahead of his much-awaited return, Daryn told her audience that she would be making her father pecan pie—his “favorite dessert.”

Before she heads back to college, she has a long list of things she wants to do with him.

Astronaut's daughter with family at an amusement park, smiling under sunny skies.

Image credits: darynthepuff.cos

“Just to do what we have loved doing and make up for some lost time,” she added.

She also noted that they would be hosting a small get-together with loved ones when they head over to her uncle’s home in Tennessee over the summer.

“He’s going to spend the next few days going in [for] tests, medical stuff,” she said. “They’re still technically part of the experiment of human space flight.”

Daryn shared “the very final installment of ‘my dad is stuck in space,’ because he’s not anymore!”

Young woman smiling in front of a wall with sticky notes, discussing her NASA astronaut father's health concerns.

Image credits: darynthepuff.cos

Experts revealed that it could take a while for the mind and body to fully adjust to life back on Earth and living with gravity again.

“It is not unusual for adaptation to take several weeks,” Don Platt, associate professor and director of the Spaceport Education Center, Florida Tech, told Bored Panda via email.

NASA astronaut’s daughter discusses his health and medical tests after return from space.

Image credits: darynthepuff.cos

After news of Sunita and Butch’s safe return, Daryn shared a TikTok video cosplaying as Penelope, the famous queen of Ithaca in Greek mythology who waited 20 years for her husband Odysseus to return to her.

“Is daddy back!!!! I need update,” a fan asked her in the comments section.

“He’s back!” Daryn exclaimed and confirmed that she saw him after he returned to Earth and was taken out of the capsule on a stretcher.

The daughter revealed that she was making her father his favorite dessert and had a list of things to do with him

@darynthepuff.cos We’re in a good mood today! Dad is comin back to earth!😆 yall reporters want me so bad💅#astronaught#space#stuckinspace#occ#boeingstarliner#rocket♬ BIRDS OF A FEATHER OFFICIAL INSTRUMENTAL – Dan Swift Del Rey

Social media comments discussing the lack of a reunion video for NASA astronaut, expressing mixed reactions.

Previously, Butch logged 167 days in space during his last mission and returned to Earth in March 2015.

At the time, it took him a while “not to feel heavy” upon his return to Earth, Daryn said in response to a viewer’s question about his physical and emotional recovery from the last space mission.

“Physically, it took him a while to not feel heavy and emotionally It was a lot easier because my sister and I were younger and we didn’t have a lot of big life events happening & had already prepared,” she said.

Daryn shared a video cosplaying after Butch and Sunita’s splashdown on Earth

@darynthepuff.cos Reminder I’m a cosplayer 😅#penelope#penelopeepic#epic#epicthemusical#epicthemusicalcosplay#penelopecosplay#theodyssey#greekmythology♬ son original – Pomme_noisette

Comment thread discussing plans after NASA astronaut's return.

So far, Butch has spent a total of 464 days in space across multiple missions.

Last June, he and Sunita flew to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Boeing Starliner for what was meant to be a weeklong mission.

However, due to safety glitches with the Boeing Starliner, their stay was extended for about nine months until they finally returned on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule this week.

Butch shares two daughters, Daryn and Logan, with his wife Deanna Wilmore

Astronaut's daughter with family, smiling by a lit Christmas tree at night, highlighting concerns for health.

Image credits: darynthepuff.cos

American astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov also accompanied them on their journey back.

Platt revealed that it could take a while for the body to adjust and recover from the impact of being in microgravity or weightlessness.

Their bodies undergo a number of changes, such as loss of muscle and bone density, due to prolonged periods in a gravity-free environment.

Experts revealed that it could take “several weeks” for the body to adapt to life back on Earth

NASA astronaut exits spacecraft smiling, greeted by crew, concerns for his health arise post-Earth return.

Image credits: NASA/Robert Markowitz/Helen Arase Vargas

“It is not unusual for adaptation to take several weeks while internally calcium levels in the bone may never return to before mission levels even years later,” Platt told Bored Panda via email. “Muscle mass will return faster.”

“We have seen astronauts faint when standing at a press conference a day or more after even a short two-week shuttle mission,” added the owner of Micro Aerospace Solutions, which conducts R&D and development of advanced systems for small satellites.

NASA astronaut in suit, smiling after Earth return, with concern for his health being addressed by the crew.

Image credits: NASA/Keegan Barber

The human space exploration expert said that even though Butch and Sunita spent an unplanned extra nine months on the ISS, they have both been trained for long-duration missions.

Like Butch, Sunita too has had two previous stays in space, and with the latest mission, she moved up to the second spot on the list of most experienced US astronauts with a total of 608 days in space.

Butch has spent more than 460 days in space in total across multiple missions, while Sunita has spent over 600 days 

NASA astronaut waves with colleague after Earth return, holding flowers.

Image credits: NASA/Joel Kowsky

“While Butch and Suni had a fairly long stay on the ISS, it is not totally out of the ordinary. Their two crew mates [Nick and Aleksandr] were in space for about a half a year themselves when they landed yesterday,” Platt said.

“That amount of time in space is sort of the typical duration for ISS astronauts,” he added.

Contrary to a long-held narrative, the two astronauts were also not “stranded” in space, Platt noted.

“Butch and Suni were on a test flight with a new vehicle, so they did not anticipate being up as long as they were, but they both have trained for and experienced previous long-duration missions,” the expert said.

“Also, they were not really stranded in space,” he continued, “they always had an emergency ride home on a SpaceX Dragon capsule docked to the ISS.”

Netizens shared in Daryn’s joy, with one saying “I promise you have the coolest dad ever! Such a great experience”

Comment expressing joy for an astronaut's health after returning to Earth.

Comment expressing joy at NASA astronaut's return to Earth.

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Comment praising NASA astronaut’s safe Earth return amidst health concerns.

Comment expressing support for NASA astronaut's health after Earth's return.

Instagram comment expressing disbelief about NASA astronaut’s health after return.

Lindsey's comment supports NASA astronaut's daughter after father's health concerns post-Earth return.

Comment complimenting NASA astronaut's daughter, expressing a desire to be an astronaut.

Social media comment expressing happiness about NASA astronaut’s return.

Comment expressing hope for NASA astronaut's health post-return.

Comment about NASA astronaut's cool experience from a daughter's perspective.

Comment on a post about a pie, expressing excitement and happiness.

Comment praising NASA astronaut as a hero upon his return to Earth.

Comment congratulating NASA astronaut's family after return from Earth with health concerns.

Comment expressing relief for NASA astronaut's return amidst health concerns.

Comment saying "Welcome home to your super cool dad!" with 35 likes, related to NASA astronaut's health concerns.

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