I do hold him my heart. I wish I could have fixed everything for him. There are other kids living in the hotel now but I don’t see them playing in the park. I wish a better world for the kids of our country.
What a beautiful had sad story. Thank you for sharing. PS: my husband would have been upset with me for allowing a strange man in the house, too. I am much like you, and would not have been able to say “no.”
Like you, I know man Aidens. They all pul my heartstrings and then disappear.
One I hadn't seen for 25-plus years and he called out my name as I walked in the hardware store. I didn't recognize the bearded man from the scrawny teen I'd known. My first comment (before my tears started) was: You are still alive!" ( He had been suicidal, and now had a management position! No odds could predict!
In January 2024, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimated that 771,480 people experienced homelessness in the U.S., a single-night count taken each winter.
Three men have as much wealth as the lower 50% of Americans. They hoard as millions suffer. Isn't it time to shake this place up?
Yes, 100%. How can kids feel supported in their communities if they have to move from one hotel to another? I don’t remember a worse time in US history to be poor and living in what is supposed up be a civilized society.
There's an undercurrent in your story, Ilona, a question that hangs in the air like mist. It's about the invisible lines we draw, the boundaries we set between ourselves and others. When do we step in? When do we step back? When is it our place to help, and when is it not? You wrestled with this beautifully, the push and pull of wanting to protect Aidan, to understand his situation, yet also the fear of overstepping, of intruding. It made me wonder, how often do we avoid asking the difficult questions, the ones that truly matter, because we're afraid of the answers? How often do we let our own comfort, our own sense of propriety, prevent us from reaching out to someone who might need us? It's a question I think we all grapple with, this balance between compassion and caution.
Yes, I definitely grappled with this and had planned to go to the police station to express my concerns. My friend told me we couldn't afford to let another child slip through the cracks, but then he and his family disappeared. I still struggle with what the best thing to do for Aidan was.
That is such a difficult situation. What I know, intuitively, is that simply being kind, generous, and supportive was the best thing you could immediately do. Aidan needed that strength and support. That gentle kindness. That safety. 🩵
Thanks for reposting, as I'm a newer reader, and hadn't read this before. Thanks for being a kind, compassionate woman in Aiden's life, even if for a short time. ❤️
Beautiful story and thank you for sharing. You did everything you could under the circumstances. Sounds like they were unhoused and were staying there temporarily. Hopefully things are better for that boy. Parent likely was too busy working just to survive.
I loved this the first time and still today. People can touch you and not be around anymore and you still hold them in your heart.
I do hold him my heart. I wish I could have fixed everything for him. There are other kids living in the hotel now but I don’t see them playing in the park. I wish a better world for the kids of our country.
What a beautiful had sad story. Thank you for sharing. PS: my husband would have been upset with me for allowing a strange man in the house, too. I am much like you, and would not have been able to say “no.”
Since I have gotten older, I appreciate having a bathroom nearby. Glad to hear I’m not the only one to take pity on someone with an aged bladder.
This is a story I never forgot. I'm glad you reposted it.
Thanks for the love. Can you believe we’ve been friends for over a year already?
Really! How fast that seems to have gone! But a LOT has happened in a year and it hasn’t all been good. I need you! 🥰
As a new subscriber, I’m so glad you reposted this. What a beautiful tale of your time with Aidan.
Thanks for your kind words, C & W. I’m glad you got to know him through my words.
Like you, I know man Aidens. They all pul my heartstrings and then disappear.
One I hadn't seen for 25-plus years and he called out my name as I walked in the hardware store. I didn't recognize the bearded man from the scrawny teen I'd known. My first comment (before my tears started) was: You are still alive!" ( He had been suicidal, and now had a management position! No odds could predict!
I’m happy you got to connect with your Aidan again. It does the heart good to see them again and know they’re alright.
AI Overview
In January 2024, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimated that 771,480 people experienced homelessness in the U.S., a single-night count taken each winter.
Three men have as much wealth as the lower 50% of Americans. They hoard as millions suffer. Isn't it time to shake this place up?
Yes, 100%. How can kids feel supported in their communities if they have to move from one hotel to another? I don’t remember a worse time in US history to be poor and living in what is supposed up be a civilized society.
There's an undercurrent in your story, Ilona, a question that hangs in the air like mist. It's about the invisible lines we draw, the boundaries we set between ourselves and others. When do we step in? When do we step back? When is it our place to help, and when is it not? You wrestled with this beautifully, the push and pull of wanting to protect Aidan, to understand his situation, yet also the fear of overstepping, of intruding. It made me wonder, how often do we avoid asking the difficult questions, the ones that truly matter, because we're afraid of the answers? How often do we let our own comfort, our own sense of propriety, prevent us from reaching out to someone who might need us? It's a question I think we all grapple with, this balance between compassion and caution.
Yes, I definitely grappled with this and had planned to go to the police station to express my concerns. My friend told me we couldn't afford to let another child slip through the cracks, but then he and his family disappeared. I still struggle with what the best thing to do for Aidan was.
That is such a difficult situation. What I know, intuitively, is that simply being kind, generous, and supportive was the best thing you could immediately do. Aidan needed that strength and support. That gentle kindness. That safety. 🩵
How touching and very sad, Ilona. Beautifully written and so poignant. Hard to read but impossible not to finish. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Thanks for making it through to the end. His story is one that needs to be known,
Thanks for reposting, as I'm a newer reader, and hadn't read this before. Thanks for being a kind, compassionate woman in Aiden's life, even if for a short time. ❤️
It was the least I could do. Wish I could have done more ❤️
What a story! What a world!
Thanks, Cathy. You know this hotel very well.
This is my first time with this story and I am enthralled. I want to know if Aidan ever shows up again.
Ilona, I think this was the first post I read of yours, and the one that led me to subscribe for want of more.
This us such a heart-wrenching post. Thanks for reposting it. 💕
Beautiful story and thank you for sharing. You did everything you could under the circumstances. Sounds like they were unhoused and were staying there temporarily. Hopefully things are better for that boy. Parent likely was too busy working just to survive.