Five years ago, during a stormy night at the fire station, my life changed when my partner and I found a newborn abandoned at our doorstep.
I couldn’t stop thinking about him. When no one claimed him, I began the tough journey to adopt him, despite doubts about me being a single firefighter parent.
After months of paperwork and support from my partner Joe, Leo became my son. Life was chaotic
but joyful—full of mismatched socks, dinosaur debates, and bedtime stories.
Then, Leo’s birth mother, Emily, appeared. She was scared and wanted to be part of his life again.
Though I was hesitant, we slowly built a co-parenting relationship. It wasn’t easy, but it became part of our story.
Years later, at Leo’s graduation, Emily and I sat side by side, proud of the kind young man we raised.
Our family isn’t traditional, but it’s full of love, resilience, and showing up—together.
