I remember hearing about a young girl alone at the playground on a cold autumn evening. She was waiting for her mom, but no one showed up. When I arrived, she was sitting on a swing, clutching a teddy bear, still waiting. After hours, I took her to the station, where we couldn’t find any record of her or her mother. A call led us to a car behind an abandoned warehouse, where we found the girl’s mother slumped over the wheel with a note: “Please take care of my little girl. I’m sorry.” It became clear that the mother had left her daughter at the playground before taking her own life.

The child, Lily, was placed in foster care. I continued visiting, offering what comfort I could as she asked if her mom would ever come back. Months later, I received a letter from her foster family saying she was thriving. She included a drawing of me, thanking me for finding her. Her mother’s tragic end didn’t define her life; Lily’s new beginning did. And that’s why I do this job—to help guide those in need toward a better future.