I Made My Son A Promise When He Was Born. 20 Years Later, I Was Devastated To Break It.

The author (left) and his son Chris

We pulled into the group home’s driveway and parked next to a white van. I sat there, hands gripping the wheel, staring at the brick house like it was a finish line I never wanted to cross.

Chris sat in the back seat, flipping between scenes in Shrek 2 on his Kindle. Calm. Unbothered. As if this were just another stop on one of our long drives.

But I knew what it was. This was the moment I was breaking a promise I’d made the day he was born.