After the ceremony, Richard pulled me quietly aside, away from the small crowd of well-wishers.
“The Riverside project closed last week,” he said. “We broke ground on Monday morning. And Tom — I wanted you to know, we’ve named the community center inside it the Sarah Warren Community Center. Free programs for families who need the support. For kids.”
I had to turn away for a moment, unable to speak. When I finally trusted my voice again, I said, “She would have loved that. More than almost anything.”
“You raised an incredible son,” Richard said quietly. “And you gave us a second chance we hadn’t remotely earned. That’s true generosity, Tom. The kind I don’t think I fully understood until I watched you extend it to us.”
“Everyone deserves a second chance,” I said. “That’s what Sarah taught me, all those years ago. And it’s what I hope Michael and Jessica pass along to their own kids someday.”
