In October 2003, a caregiver named Carlyle Smith visited the Ohio home of Sharen and Michael Gravelle. He was interviewing for a part-time job that entailed helping the couple take care of their 11 adopted children.
But shortly after walking inside the house, Carlyle realized something was horribly wrong.
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According to The Blade, Carlyle claimed to bear witness to the unthinkable: that the Gravelles told him not to go upstairs where the children slept; that Sharen told one of the kids to go upstairs and lock himself in his cage after he went to the bathroom in his pants; that Michael told him he'd know if the children were trying to escape their cages if their fingers were cut from the wires.
Carlyle sobbed as he drove away from the Gravelle home. He didn't take the job. Instead, he blew the whistle on what he saw and heard.
The Gravelles were eventually convicted of child endangerment and child abuse.
In 2017, Simon and Abba — two of the 11 children once locked in cages by their adoptive parents — shared their stories on the Dr. Phil show. The siblings have grown up to be strong and inspiring teenagers.
Though they never got to meet him, Simon and Abba are eternally grateful to Carlyle, whose initial phone call ultimately saved them from a lifetime of abuse. "If he was here right now, I would gladly give him the biggest hug ever and tell him that I love him," Simon told Dr. Phil. "He saved my life. He saved her life."
But Simon and Abba have no idea that Carlyle is waiting backstage — and the most emotional reunion imaginable is about to take place.
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