I had been thinking about starting a study and application group for months.

Our neighborhood had bright students whose families did not know where to begin with financial aid forms, community-college transfers, trade apprenticeships, or scholarships.

When Gavin emptied the account, I called Nadia because I needed someone who understood that Selena’s loss was both financial and personal.

Nadia came that evening carrying a grocery bag full of pasta and an armload of practical advice.

“First,” she told me, “make sure Selena knows this is not her failure.