For years, I thought I was doing it all on my own—raising my son without his father's help, navigating heartbreak, chasing dreams in a new city. But the truth is, I've never been alone. From college professors who held my baby so I could finish exams to friends and chosen family who stepped in without being asked, my village carried me. This is a story about motherhood, resilience, and the people who helped raise not just my son but me, too.