Unimaginable suffering befell a 9-year-old boy in southwest France after his mother abandoned him to live alone in their flat for two years. He had amazing tenacity in the face of the circumstances.

Living without heat or electricity, he persisted in going to school, undetected by classmates and teachers who thought he was doing well. He mostly lived on canned goods and even tomatoes he gathered from a neighbor’s balcony, but occasionally kind neighbors sent him food. It was cold at night and took layers of blankets to get warm.

While she lived close by, his mother paid him little visits. His father appeared absent, thus it was unclear what his part was.

It was months before neighbors became aware of the boy’s situation and called the police. The youngster put up a front of normalcy by hiding the truth behind his appearance and academic performance.

Phone records showed the mother was not there during a court hearing, thereby verifying the youngster lived alone. She received a jail sentence and electronic monitoring after being charged with child negligence and abandonment.

Now a teenager in foster care, the youngster wants no further touch with his mother, who has only paid him one visit.

This account highlights the boy’s incredible tenacity and will to live through hardship and continue his schooling. I hope in his new life he gets the love and support he so richly deserves.