When I moved into my late father’s old house with my two boys, I met Vincent — my elderly, disabled neighbor who sat quietly in his wheelchair every day, never smiling, never speaking more than a few words. He seemed like a man waiting for life to end.
I was doing my best to hold everything together — raising two boys alone after my husband left, trying to find joy in the everyday chaos. I didn’t expect a puppy to change our world, but that’s exactly what happened. One day, my sons brought home a German Shepherd puppy named Simba, against my wishes. I almost said no… until I remembered my dad’s words: “Every home needs a heartbeat.” And just like that, Simba became part of the family.
A few days later, Vincent called out to me for the first time. Turns out, he had once trained German Shepherds in the military. When he asked to pet Simba, I saw something I’d never seen before — a smile.That smile became the beginning of something beautiful.