Court Is about to Take Away Grandma’s Parental Rights until Grandson Utters First Words Ever – Story of the Day

A grandmother and her little grandson leave the entire court in tears when the boy runs to her, uttering his first-ever words just moments before her parental rights are about to be revoked.

When Dorothy assumed her little world was blissful, a storm arrived to destroy every bit of it. Before the wetness in her eyes could dry up, she was standing beside her dead daughter and son-in-law's coffins, holding their two-and-a-half-year-old orphaned son, Joey.

At sixty-three, Dorothy had endured enough pain in life. First, she had lost her husband of thirty-seven years, and then this. "What more could my fragile heart take?" she wondered as her glasses fogged up.

As Dorothy wept over the memories of her two dear ones, little Joey wriggled in her arms, reminding her of the mountainous responsibility on her shoulders. "Don't worry, sweetheart... I am here for you," she cradled the boy and took him home from the cemetery...

"I'm worried about my grandson," Dorothy told her old friend at work. They were dishwashers in a restaurant and shared each other's burdens. "It's been over a year since I've taken him in, but Joey hasn't started to speak."

"Some children take a lot of time to talk... there's nothing to worry about, Dorothy."

"I hope so!" The concerned grandmother sighed and left for her lunch break to pick up Joey from school. As she waited outside her grandson's classroom, his teacher greeted her with a question that worried her even more.

"Mrs. Rudd, is there something going on with Joey? He hasn't spoken a word to anyone yet. Does he speak normally at home?"

Every dark night has a bright awakening, so never give up before a miracle happens.

"If not, I think you should consult a specialist immediately. It's not normal for a child to not talk at the age of four," she added.

Dorothy felt a fear crawl through her body as she took Joey to the doctor that afternoon.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Rudd. To put it bluntly, as of now, your grandson is very similar to someone who is mute," the doctor revealed after examining Joey. Dorothy was startled.

"What? I don't understand, doctor. Will he never be able to speak??"

"It's not like that, Mrs. Rudd. Joey is a normal kid, and you needn't worry. But he has lost his ability to speak due to past trauma. You said he had lost his parents last year, and I think that could be the main trigger holding him back from speaking."

"Doctor, Joey is all I have. Is there something we can do to help him talk??"

"Regular speech therapy might help. But most of all, he needs someone to comfort and encourage him all the time. Slowly, he needs to be soothed out of the trauma, and only love can heal him."

"I will do it. I will do everything it takes to help him speak!" Dorothy exclaimed and took Joey home. She visited several doctors after that, and their diagnosis was the same. But Dorothy did not give up. She started spending more time with Joey, trying to make him feel safe and loved.

"And the fairy turned the rats into men to help the princess escape... " she read bedtime stories to Joey. Dorothy even cracked jokes and laughed though her heart was heavy with pain, hoping Joey would soon speak one day.

"I'm not going to give up, sweetie. Grandma will do anything for you," she was determined. Dorothy spent days and nights trying to make Joey talk but in vain. And soon, her mission came with a hefty price.

"Mrs. Rudd, you can go home. We replaced you with a new worker," Dorothy's boss told her off one day when she arrived at work. "You're always late, and that is no longer tolerable."

"Jesus, how will I take care of my grandson? How will I pay for his treatment without money?" she thought, tears welling in her eyes.

"Sir, please forgive me. My grandson is mute, and I have to help him. I will do something and not be late to work again. Please give me one chance," she begged. But her boss was stubborn and sent her away with her last paycheck.

As days passed, Dorothy struggled to make ends meet. She looked for a job, but nobody hired her saying she was too old to work. But she did not give up because her life was not only about her; Joey was involved too, and she had promised him a beautiful future.

Dorothy then began washing dishes for all her neighbors to make ends meet. Meanwhile, she faced another significant blow when Child Protection Services showed up at her doorstep one day.

As it turned out, a teacher had reported Dorothy's inability to care for her grandson after seeing Joey wearing old clothes and torn shoes in class. A couple of days later, Dorothy received a legal notice from the court.

"Will they take my boy away from me?" Dorothy feared as she stepped into the court, clutching Joey's hand. "I won't let that happen as long as I'm alive."

"So you haven't found a job yet, Mrs. Rudd?"

"I worked until last month, but I was fired as I was late for work because I was caring for my mute grandson, trying to get him to talk. I temporarily wash dishes for neighbors, and they pay me."

The court examined the case and declared that Dorothy's income was insufficient to care for her grandson. The elderly woman's heart raced as her parental rights were just about to be withdrawn, and Joey was asked to be taken to another room.

"Please, don't take him away... please!" Dorothy begged, but nobody listened nor understood her heart was shattering as she struggled to walk away. As a court staffer held Joey's hand and led him to another room, the boy wriggled away and ran to Dorothy, shouting his first-ever words in life.

"GRANNY... STOP!!"

The court turned grave silent and was moved to tears as Joey ran up to his grandma and hugged her tight. Dorothy was stunned and melted in the boy's embrace at the same time. He then looked up at her, making a hand-heart gesture.

"I love you too, sweetie," Dorothy sobbed, gesturing back.

Tears of joy streamed from Dorothy's eyes as she cried: "My boy... he talked. He can speak now, like any other child. I no longer need money for any expensive treatment. And I can earn well enough to take care of him and his everyday needs. My Joey... he can talk!!"

The heartwarming sight moved everyone in the court, including the judge, to tears. Dorothy was granted one last chance to prove she could take care of her grandson.

The teacher who had reported to Child Protection Services was torn apart and felt guilty. She later referred Dorothy for a stable clerical position in the neighborhood school to help her get back on her feet.

As days passed, Dorothy was able to care well for her grandson. She worked in his school and stayed close to him all day, helping him to pronounce words and talk fluently. Dorothy slowly restored her zest for life and dreamed of a promising future for her beloved grandson.

What can we learn from this story?

• Every dark night has a bright awakening, so never give up before a miracle happens. Till the end, Dorothy kept fighting to help her grandson talk. Even when her parental rights were about to be taken away, she never accepted defeat.
• Love makes you stronger in front of those who consider you weak. When the court declared Dorothy unfit to care for her mute grandson, her love for him proved stronger when he ran to her uttering his first-ever words and hugged her.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

A blind boy tricks his innocent granny into describing to him the directions to the city and flees from the village. Click here to read the full story.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.