I chose gratitude over resentment, because my father had already given me everything that mattered.
Months later, I launched The Backbone Project — a mentorship fund for young people who grew up feeling unseen. I built it in honor of my dad, the man who stayed. Jessica faded back into the background of my life, but the lesson she brought remained: family isn’t measured by shared DNA, but by shared devotion.
Sometimes, the greatest truth comes from those who never had to say a word.
