The story of Stuart, Dylan, and the mysterious old man named Michael did not begin with tragedy—at least, not in a way anyone could recognize at first glance.

It began with two boys who had spent their lives fighting uphill battles with quiet determination, and an elderly stranger who had spent his life fighting battles no one ever truly saw. The boys had grown up together in a neighborhood where hardship was as common as cracked sidewalks and rusted porch rails.

Their friendship was forged through scraped knees, shared lunches, and late-night study sessions lit by dim lamps and a hunger for something better. Though their families had little, both boys carried…