Welcometo Milkweed and Monarchs! I’m Dawn Klem, and today, I’m taking you on a ride—literally. We’re heading back to my days in San Diego, when life was unfolding in unexpected ways, friendships were deepening, and every weekend felt like an adventure.

During my second year there, my social circle expanded beyond my friends from Hillsdale. My new companions were my colleagues at the hospital—people navigating their own personal crossroads. One of them was my close friend Liz, a Navy radiology technician going through a tumultuous divorce. As she sought ways to reclaim her independence, we often found solace in the thrill of horseback riding through the breathtaking California mountains.

Little did we know that one particular ride would take a sharp, unexpected turn—leading to a crisis, a race against time, and a moment of quick thinking that still leaves me in awe.

So saddle up, because this is a story of risk, resilience, and the unpredictability of life itself.