As a teacher who has just quit and thinking whether I'll be able to take another job teaching (and I did not teach "troubled" kids), I am moved by your narrative.
That must feel really good.
One of the things I admire about the States, and I saw plenty of this the 7 years I spent there, is the multiple ways the system and those within can reward a job well done. That's very gratifying and encouraging.
Even when we do things without expecting much in return (all teachers around the world can relate to that) in some places the void after the career is over can be unsettling.
This post encapsulates decades of pedagogical wisdom. My respect.