We never planned to become parents overnight, but that is exactly what happened the day my husband, David, found two frightened boys under the old oak tree near our property. The decision to bring them into our home upended everything we thought we knew about family, love, and ourselves. This is the story of the hardest and most beautiful journey we’ve ever taken, as we tried to heal two broken souls—and, in the process, found healing ourselves.
One rainy night, my neighbor left her son, Eric, on my porch and vanished from our lives. At 65, reflecting on how that moment led me to foster dozens of children, I realize how love can grow from the most surprising places. My story is about unexpected family, resilience, and the power of saying yes when life asks you to.
I lost my mother when I was young, but I found a second family in Ms. Linda, the kind-hearted neighbor who took me in when I moved to New York. As I grapple with her passing, I reflect on the profound impact she had on my life, and how her love helped me survive the loneliness and chaos of city life. Now, I’m left to say goodbye and wonder how I’ll carry her wisdom forward.
