MAN FINDS A SMASHED PHONE ON THE ROADSIDE — AFTER HE INSERTS THE SIM CARD INTO HIS OWN PHONE AND CALLS “DAUGHTER,” HE RUSHES TO HELP.
This morning was like any other for 30-year-old Alan. He headed to the bakery to get fresh rolls for his mom. But as he walked down the street, an old, broken phone, battered like it had been run over by a car, caught his eye.
Alan, a programmer with a love for tech, picked it up, thinking he could maybe fix it later. He didn’t think much of it and tucked it in his pocket. After breakfast, he inserted the SIM card into his own phone and, out of curiosity, dialed the only number saved: “Daughter.”
“Mom!” the child’s voice said. “Is that you?”
Alan’s heart skipped a beat. “I’m not your mom,” he said, confused. “Who is this?”
The voice sounded disappointed but then replied, “Where’s Mom?”
Alan, unsure what to do, stuttered, “I don’t know. I found a broken phone, switched the SIM, and called. Who are you?”
The child, a little girl, seemed to get more upset. “My mom went to the store yesterday and didn’t come back.”
Alan’s chest tightened. “What’s your name? Where’s your dad? Or your grandma?”
The child’s voice cracked as she answered, “I’m Julie. I don’t have a dad or a grandma. I only have my mom.”
“Julie, do you know where you live?”
“Independence Street, building seven, apartment 18.”
Alan’s heart pounded. “Julie, can you tell me — are you okay? Is there anyone there with you?”
Julie’s response hit him hard: “I’m alone. My legs don’t work, so I can’t go anywhere.”
The confusion in Alan’s mind deepened. “Wait, Julie, your legs don’t work? How have you been getting around?”
“I use a wheelchair. But there’s no one here to help me,” Julie’s voice trembled.
Alan’s protective instincts kicked in.
“Julie, I need you to listen to me carefully. I’m coming to get you, okay?”
When Alan arrived at little Julie’s address, the door opened, revealing a tiny, frail girl sitting in a wheelchair. She looked up at him with tired, wide eyes, her face full of sadness.
“Will you find my mom?” Julie asked softly with tears in her eyes.
Alan understood that the journey ahead would uncover truths he wasn’t ready to face, but it was too late to turn back now.
It was a crisp morning when I stepped out, the cool autumn air brushing my face. My mother, Helen, was making breakfast, and I was on my way to the bakery to get fresh rolls for her. Little did I know, this was the start of an unforgettable day.
My mother and I had a small tradition—breakfast together. You might wonder why a 30-year-old successful man would live with his mother, but I never knew my father, who left when she was pregnant. We became each other’s family.
As I walked to the bakery, I spotted a broken phone lying in the grass. Curiosity got the better of me, and I picked it up. It was an old, battered model, but I saw a challenge in fixing it.
When I got home, I slid the phone’s SIM card into my backup phone. A list of contacts appeared, mostly emergency services, but one stood out: “Daughter.” My heart tightened as I dialed the number. A little voice answered, “Mom?” It wasn’t her mother, but the girl sounded scared.
“Where is she?” the girl asked, her voice trembling. She told me her name was Julie, and her mom had gone to the store the day before and never returned. Julie, alone in a wheelchair, couldn’t move. My protective instincts kicked in, and I promised to help her.
My mom insisted on coming with me, and we rushed to the apartment building where Julie lived. The place was run-down, but I knocked on the door of Apartment 18. A frail little girl in a wheelchair greeted us. She hadn’t eaten in a day, and her mom, Victoria, was missing.
I found out that Victoria had been in a car accident on her way to get medicine for Julie. She had no family and had been struggling ever since her divorce. I promised to help, and with some support, Julie underwent surgery that changed everything.
Months later, I watched as Julie took her first steps. Victoria, now recovered, was overwhelmed with gratitude. We became a family, and I realized that in helping them, I had found something I never expected—love, connection, and a new family I wouldn’t trade for anything.