At six the next morning, he was there, holding two coffees and a bag with Hannah’s spare notebook.

He didn’t announce how early he’d woken up.

He didn’t ask anyone to praise him.

He simply sat down.

When the surgeon arrived to review the plan and obtain consent from the legally authorized decision-makers, we listened carefully.

We asked about risks, benefits, alternatives, and what would happen after surgery.

The team answered with the quiet honesty that had become our lifeline.

No dramatic promise, no certainty they could not justify.