Kimberly Wheeler's Facebook post: September 12, 2024
Today, I saw something that made the world feel a little more hopeful. It was one of those moments that sticks with you, the kind you don’t forget. I was in juvenile court, where the air is usually heavy with sadness and heartache. Kids removed from their homes; families torn apart—it’s the kind of place where you don’t often hear good news.
But today was different.
There was this family, a mom and a dad, who had been through the wringer. Their kids had been taken from them—don’t know the details, but the reason didn’t seem to matter as much today. What mattered was that they had done the hard work, the real gut-wrenching, soul-searching kind of work. And today, the judge announced that they were getting their kids back.
I wish you could have seen their faces. Beaming doesn’t even cover it. They looked like two people who had just climbed a mountain, against all odds, and were standing at the top, soaking in the view.
The judge asked the various lawyers if they had anything to say, and one by one they looked that couple in the eyes, and said, “Congratulations.” Simple words, but man, they hit hard. There wasn’t a person in that courtroom who wasn’t feeling it.
And then, as if the moment wasn’t already perfect, the children’s social worker came over and wrapped them both in the biggest hug you’ve ever seen. Eyes were welling up with tears all throughout the room.
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