n 2010, six-year-old Giovanni “Govi” Eastwood, a boy with Down syndrome, was found starved and neglected in the attic of his Kansas home. Weighing just 17 pounds—the size of a toddler—he couldn’t walk or speak and was severely malnourished. His mother, Rachel Perez, had hidden him there when police came to arrest her, leaving him in filth without food, toys, or care. Officers, suspecting something was wrong, returned and rescued him just in time. Doctors said he wouldn’t have survived much longer.Perez was sentenced to eight years for attempted murder. Govi and his sisters were adopted by their great aunt and uncle, Stacy and Joe Eastwood. Though his recovery was slow, Govi has transformed. In 2016, he reunited with the officers who saved him and was named an honorary deputy. Now safe and loved, Govi thrives. “The kid is magical,” said his adoptive father. “He brings out the best in everyone.”