When I stopped to help a stranded woman late one night, I never imagined how it would change our lives. Miranda, heavily pregnant and alone, gave birth on the side of the road with my help. With no place to go and a fear of hospitals due to an abusive past, I offered her and her newborn a temporary place to stay. I lived alone with my six-year-old daughter, Sarah, still grieving the loss of my wife. I thought I was simply offering shelter. But the next morning, Sarah was missing from her room—only to be found peacefully sleeping beside Miranda, who had comforted her during a restless night.

Miranda explained how she had heard Sarah crying in her sleep, calling out for her late mother. Without hesitation, she sat with her, soothed her with stories, and stayed by her side until she felt safe. In that moment, I saw something I hadn’t in a long time—Sarah smiling, at peace. Miranda’s gentle presence had brought comfort I couldn’t provide alone. What began as an act of kindness became something more. I asked Miranda to stay longer—for Sarah’s sake and maybe mine too. And somehow, from a roadside emergency came an unexpected kind of healing.