A little boy changed my life on a flight. I was listening to an audiobook, ignoring the bumpy ride, when a small hand tugged my sleeve. A boy—three or four years old—climbed into my lap without a word, curled up like he’d known me forever. I froze. No one said anything. A flight attendant walked by, smiled, and kept going. He fell asleep in my arms. No one came for him the entire flight. When we landed, I asked the woman next to me if she knew where his parents were. She said, “I thought you were his mom.” That’s when I started to panic. The boy, Finn, told me his parents “were here before” but didn’t know where they were. I alerted the flight staff, and we waited at the gate. Hours passed. No one came. Eventually, airport security got involved. Finn stayed calm, drawing on a napkin, asking for juice. He trusted me. Just when I was losing hope, a woman came running. She hugged Finn, crying. She was his mom. A man—David—followed, looking confused. He thought Finn had been with her. They hadn’t noticed he was missing. That stuck with me. Days later, I called child protective services. Turns out, they had concerns and removed Finn from his parents’ care. Weeks later, I got a call: they needed a foster home. I said yes without hesitation. After checks and paperwork, Finn came to live with me. He stayed for six months. His parents got help and eventually were able to care for him again. Saying goodbye was hard, but I knew I’d been there when he needed someone. Sometimes life puts you in the right place at the right time. That moment can change everything—for someone else and for you
HE CRAWLED INTO MY LAP MID-FLIGHT—AND NO ONE CAME TO CLAIM HIM
