When he came out, he had tears in his eyes.

“My daughter can’t sleep when people argue,” he told us.

“I could sit in here and call my wife without waking her.

That’s worth more to us than fancy furniture.”

His daughter was receiving treatment several miles away.

Russell worked nights and spent his afternoons moving between the hospital and his other children.

I asked whether he wanted to join our community planning group.

He looked surprised that his opinion might matter, then said yes.