“The two men who saved your life are waiting outside,” the nurse said. I was too sick and exhausted to process much—dehydration, the flu, and burnout had landed me in the hospital. But when she added, “Your babies are safe,” something inside me let go. To understand how I got there, you have to go back to Monday. Since they were toddlers, my twins, Jesse and Lila, had adored the garbage truck.

Every week, like clockwork, they’d watch from the window and then race outside to see Theo and Rashad—the friendly sanitation workers who became part of our lives. Theo was soft-spoken and kind. Rashad was animated and always waving. They brought toy trucks and stickers. My kids adored them. When I collapsed one Monday, they noticed…