As a single mom working at a diner, I often had to bring my four-year-old son, Micah, to work with me. One evening, when my babysitter canceled, Micah came along, dressed in his firefighter costume. I set him up in a booth with some toys, hoping to keep him entertained while I managed the dinner rush.
But when I looked up to check on him, he was gone. My heart raced as I searched the diner, calling his name. Finally, I found him outside, cradled in the arms of a firefighter. Micah was crying, but as he looked up at the man, he said, “It’s okay. You saved them. My daddy says you’re a hero.”
Tears filled my eyes as I realized the firefighter had been a close friend of my late husband. Micah, in his innocent way, had connected with someone who had known his father. Before leaving, the firefighter gave Micah a silver badge that had once belonged to my husband. Micah held it tightly and promised to treasure it forever.
The firefighter told us that my husband would be proud of us, and in that moment, I felt his love surrounding us. It was a reminder that love never fades—it lives on in the people and moments that bring us together.
