Prologue: An Unexpected Turn I was driving home after yet another grueling shift—my third job of the day—when I noticed the flashing red and blue lights in my rearview mirror. My three little girls were squished together in the backseat of our aging sedan, all riding on old booster cushions I’d scavenged from a thrift store.

I knew well that proper car seats were a luxury I couldn’t afford right now. Between rent, groceries, and the endless cycle of bills, safety had taken a backseat to survival. I prayed that if I just kept my head down and drove carefully, no one would notice.