It was a crisp morning when I found the broken phone. I was on my usual walk to the bakery to pick up rolls for my mom, Helen, when I noticed the phone lying on the ground, its screen shattered. My curiosity got the better of me, and I picked it up. Though it seemed beyond repair, I figured I might try to fix it later.
That day, after breakfast with my mom, I inserted the SIM card from the broken phone into my own. To my surprise, I found a contact labeled “Daughter” and decided to call. A small, scared voice answered, calling out for her mom. My heart sank as the girl, Julie, explained that her mother, Victoria, had gone to the store the day before and never returned.
Julie was alone in her apartment, unable to move due to a wheelchair. She told me she hadn’t eaten since the day before and had no one to rely on. I immediately told her I was coming to help. My mother insisted on coming with me, and we rushed to the rundown apartment building where Julie lived.
When we arrived, Julie was waiting in her wheelchair, looking frail and scared. She told us her mom’s name was Victoria and that she’d never been left alone like this before. Julie hadn’t been able to get in touch with anyone, and the neighbors wouldn’t help. After we fed her, I did a quick search online and found a news report about a woman hit by a car on Parkova Street. The woman was in critical condition at a local hospital.
We rushed to the hospital, where a nurse confirmed that Victoria had been admitted and was unconscious. She was stable, but no one had been able to contact any family. I assured the nurse that Julie was waiting for her, and we quickly went back to our apartment to drop Julie off with a neighbor while we went to visit Victoria.
At the hospital, Victoria had just regained consciousness. She was weak and bruised, but when I told her that Julie was okay, tears filled her eyes. Victoria explained that she had been trying to get medicine for Julie, who had a medical condition. She had been struggling alone since her divorce from Julie’s abusive father, and she didn’t have any family to turn to.
Victoria’s guilt was evident. She had never wanted to abandon Julie, but her fear and isolation had kept her from reaching out for help. I reassured her that she wasn’t alone anymore and promised to help. With the support of donations and specialists, we arranged for Julie to have the surgery she needed. Months later, I watched as Julie took her first steps—shaky at first, but still a miracle.
Victoria and I grew close, and our bond deepened over time. Eventually, we became more than just two people brought together by chance. Julie became like a daughter to me, and Victoria, a partner. We formed a family, something I never expected to have.
I never imagined that a single moment of curiosity would change my life so completely. But in helping Julie and Victoria, I found a love and a family I never thought possible.
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