I still mother them….

There are nights in life that remind you why you never stop believing in people.

Tonight was one of those nights.

One of the greatest gifts this life has given me is the opportunity to walk beside people as they find recovery. I get to witness something many people never see. I get to watch lives rebuilt. I get to celebrate marriages, children, careers, promotions, and the quiet victories that once felt impossible.

Toby has been part of my story for years.

He worked with Vincent, and he was one of the people who helped spark Vincent’s love of cooking. That alone gives us a connection few people understand. We can tell stories about my son that make us laugh. We remember him as the young man who loved being in a kitchen, learning from people he admired.

Every time Toby comes home from the South, he makes time to see me.

I’ve watched his recovery unfold over the years. I’ve watched him get married, build a beautiful family, and turn his incredible talent into a career he loves. Every time I see him, I’m reminded that recovery isn’t just about putting down a substance. Recovery is about getting your life back. It’s about becoming who you were always meant to be.

As parents who have lost children, it’s easy to spend our lives thinking about everything they missed.

But tonight, I was reminded of something else.

Sometimes we get the incredible privilege of watching someone else’s story continue.

Tonight was about friendship. It was about remembering Vincent. It was about celebrating a life rebuilt. It was about gratitude.

I wish Vincent had gotten that chance.

He didn’t.

So I’ll never stop celebrating the people who do.

Those stories matter.

They remind me why I believe in recovery with every fiber of my being. They remind me why hope is always worth fighting for.

Tonight, my heart was incredibly full.