Living alone at age 71 after my husband’s death was challenging. Being there for my grandson, Timmy, was the only thing that gave me hope. My world, however, fell apart once more when my daughter-in-law abruptly cut me off from his life.

She yelled, “Margaret, you are no longer welcome,” when I went to their house. Timmy also doesn’t want you. I was about to walk away, heartbroken, when I heard Timmy’s voice. He threw down a paper airplane and yelled, “Grandma, catch this,” from his window.

It bore the chilling words, in his shaky handwriting: “Grandma, please help me.” I’m not secure. Don’t tell your parents. I was so worried that night that I was unable to sleep. Late that evening, I went back through the broken gate that my late husband had attempted to repair.

Timmy told me that a strange man frequently visited and that his parents were always fighting. He felt confined and afraid.

I turned to my late husband’s close friend Billy, a retired police officer. Billy used his contacts to find out that my daughter-in-law was involved with dangerous criminals and that my son was being investigated for drug use.

I made an instant call to social services. They discovered that Timmy had seen domestic violence and drug abuse. I was given temporary custody of him after he was taken out of the house.

My son was later imprisoned, as was his wife.

It’s difficult to raise a child my age, but I would stop at nothing to protect Timmy and provide him with a better future.