The morning sun filtered through the familiar windows of Casa de los Niños, casting long golden rays across the worn wooden floors that had witnessed countless footsteps of children who had called this place home.
Mateo sat in Don Carlo's office, a space that had remained virtually unchanged since his arrival years ago.
The same faded photographs of former residents lined the walls, the same creaking chair supported the director's aging frame, and the same sense of warmth and belonging permeated every corner.
But today was different. Today, Mateo was not the frightened, mute boy who had arrived with nothing but the clothes on his back and a heart full of pain. Today, he was a global icon, a Nike athlete, and most importantly, a young man with the means to change lives.
