It was 2 AM. My wife and I were driving home from a party when our car sputtered and died on a remote stretch of road. No cell phones back then. Just silence, stars, and the hum of waiting.
An hour passed before a beat-up Toyota Corolla pulled over. A college student stepped out—lean frame, kind eyes, worn hoodie. He asked if we needed help. We offered money. He smiled and said, “Happy to help.” Then he drove us to town.
Until years later, when my wife called me in tears. Her voice shook as she said, “Open the news.”
There he was.
Zayd Nouri. Newly elected mayor of our city.
But not just any mayor. The headline read:
“Former Foster Kid Turned Harvard Grad Wins Mayoral Seat Against All Odds.”
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