I took him home that night. No questions. Just instinct. He slept 14 hours straight. Slowly, with therapy, care, and patience, he started coming back to life — joining robotics club, smiling again, and even laughing when his popsicle-stick bridge collapsed.

At the end-of-year assembly, he was awarded “Most Resilient Student.” When he smiled at both me and his dad, I knew we were all beginning to heal. Mason lives with me now. His room is messy, music too loud, but he’s safe. He leaves notes to himself: “Remember to breathe,” “You’re not alone.” It’s not perfect — but it’s real. And when he needed rescuing, I showed up. Because that’s what mothers do.