I was getting government-subsidized internet installed in my house — one I knew I was about two months away from losing when my life changed for the better. By the end of 2023, I was living with my 8-year-old son, Gabe, near Milwaukee, while my 10-year-old, Benji, lived with his dad in Chicago. Gabe, who is neurodivergent, in many ways behaves more like a 3- or 4-year-old than a kid his age. It became unsafe for him to be around Benji, so we separated households.
