Five years ago, I found an abandoned newborn at Fire Station #14. My partner Joe and I discovered the baby in a basket on a cold night. I couldn’t stop thinking about him, and after months of updates, I decided to adopt him. Leo, as I named him, became my son.
Life wasn’t always easy, but we built a simple, happy routine together. Then one night, a woman knocked on my door—Leo’s birth mother, Emily. She explained she had no choice but to leave him behind and asked to see him.
At first, I was furious, but over time, Emily earned her place in Leo’s life, attending his soccer games and respecting our boundaries. We started co-parenting, and though it wasn’t perfect, we made it work.
Years later, Emily and I found our rhythm. Family wasn’t about perfection—it was about love, being present, and growing together. Leo was my son, and together, we created a family built on resilience.
