"They were about to take my kids forever"

​A Story of Redemption, Resilience, and One Father’s Unyielding Fight for His Family

Noel sat on the edge of his bed, his hands still trembling from what he had just heard in court. He hadn’t received a letter. He didn’t need one. The words spoken in that courtroom echoed louder than anything written on paper: “We are recommending termination of parental rights.” He turned to his wife, Maria, both of them shaking, unsure of what had gone wrong. They had done everything—childproofed the house, completed parenting classes, followed every instruction they could understand through broken English and delayed interpreters. And now, it felt like everything they had built, everything they had prayed for, was slipping away. “They’re going to take our children forever,” Noel whispered.

A Father’s Desperation
Noel and Maria’s two sons had been placed in foster care earlier that year. Weekly visits in Fort Worth were all they had—one hour of holding their boys, reading to them, singing to them in Quechua, their native language. Afterward, they’d drive home in silence, hearts broken and hope dimming. Noel wasn’t lazy. He wasn’t absent. He just didn’t know the system. CPS documents were handed to him in English. Court hearings moved forward without interpreters. He tried to keep up, but at every turn, he was left behind—unheard, misunderstood, misrepresented. That’s when I stepped in.

The Mentor’s Fight
When I first met Noel, I saw a man beaten down—not by failure, but by confusion. He wanted to do the right thing. He just didn’t know how. So, I sat him down and explained everything—what CPS expected, how to read the court documents, how to advocate for himself. I provided motivational interviewing, wrote letters to attorneys, translated reports, and built a safety plan so detailed it looked like a professional care manual. And then, when the system moved to terminate his rights without giving him a chance to correct anything—when they used undocumented concerns to justify permanent separation—I couldn’t stay silent. I called his attorney directly. I explained the due process violations: Noel had never been told about these concerns. They weren’t in his service plan. He had never been given a chance to fix what he didn’t know was broken. The attorney listened. He agreed. And then he moved. A meeting was called with the CPS supervisor and all parties involved. I joined the call with Noel. When the attorney announced that termination would no longer be pursued, and that instead they would begin a monitored return of his children, Noel broke down in tears. He wept—not because he was weak, but because he had been holding the weight of a challenging system on his shoulders for far too long. And for the first time, someone had lifted it. “Thank you, Francisco,” he said. “You saved my family.”

Monitored Return: A New Beginning
In April, Noel’s two sons were officially reunified with him and Maria under a monitored return. It wasn’t the end of the journey—but it was the beginning of healing. Noel is looking forward to waking up each morning to the sound of his boys laughing in their newly painted rooms. He’s completed pediatric first aid training, has a full emergency contact plan on the fridge, and is even preparing to move closer to emergency services if needed.

Why This Matters
Noel’s story isn’t just about one father—it’s about every father who has been lost in the cracks of a complicated system. It’s about how FOCUS+ Mentoring, through NewDay Services, steps in when others walk away. It’s about fighting for due process, dignity, and family. But most of all, it’s about love—the quiet, persistent, sacrificial love of a father who refused to give up. And it's a reminder that when you support NewDay Services, you’re not just funding programs. You’re giving fathers like Noel the tools, the voice, and the second chance they so desperately need. Every child deserves a father who’s ready to fight for them.

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Support fathers like Noel.
Support families.
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NewDay Services – Where fathers stand up for their kids, and families heal.

Written By:
​FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ
​Senior Director of Mentor-Navigation