Marion County Judge Terry Wilson retired yesterday after 42 years of public service. 37 of those years were spent in Marion County, including 16 behind the bench. Courthouse employees held a party inside the courtroom yesterday to help send him off. Wilson says that he’s enjoyed working with so many people over the years. He says being a judge wasn’t always easy, but there were great moments that he enjoyed. Wilson comments that bringing families together through adoptions was among his favorite things to do. Now, he says he’ll do a lot of traveling with his wife.

In the audio file below, Wilson shares one particular story that has particularly resonated with him over his past 42 years.