She was blind in one eye, hard of hearing and for more than ten years lived with a knot on her head the size of a baseball. Three separate times she defied her doctor’s death sentence, returning home from nursing facilities, all declared to be her last living quarters. She beat back a bankruptcy, rebounding to own two homes she paid for in full. And to boot, she raised a wonderful deaf son to be independent and successful at a time when little was understood about the condition. No, she was not necessarily the most interesting person in the world. Grandma was the most indomitable. Her heart and fortitude were legendary in our family. Gratefully, so was her spaghetti sauce.

As an entrepreneur, a champion of big dreams, and a teacher of great money and reading habits, I have one prayer. I pray for an ounce of grandma’s heart and just the strength in her little toe. That's a recipe for success.

Who inspires your courage to dream and do big?

Sam X Renick is the driving force behind Sammy Rabbit and Sammy's Dream Big Reading and Resource Initiative. Sam and Sammy are dedicated to empowering kids’ dreams and improving children’s financial literacy through the development of great habits and strategic life skills. Sam has read and sung off key with over a quarter million children around the world, encouraging them to get in the habits of saving money and reading! He has won numerous honors throughout his career including the New Jersey Coalition for Financial Education’s Muriel F. Siebert Lifetime Achievement Award!

Contact Sam

• Ask Sam a question. Invite Sam to speak at an event. Learn more about Sammy Rabbit and the Dream Big Reading and Resource Initiative. Learn more about Grandma's spaghetti sauce. Click Here.

More Family and Money Musings from Sam X Renick

• First Love In Kindergarten Pays Unexpected Dividend
• A Texas Size Pile of ...
• Dad Never Spoke to Me Again
• Italian Irish Tamales
  

Sam in the Media and On Other Sites

• Humble Dollar. Raising Money-Smart Kids
• Humble Dollar. How to Keep All Your Life's Earnings
• Humble Dollar. Tick, Tock Take Stock
• Kids in the House. 6 Tips to Help Parents Raise Money-Smart Kids
• Wealth Management. Talking with kids about money.
• Motherhood Moment: Parenting Pointers: How moms can effectively shape their children's money mindsets
• Your Mark on the World. Teaching Kids to Dream Big and Do Big, One Step at a Time
• Credit Union Times. 5 Tips to Bring Financial Education to Kids
• Generating Winners. The One Secret Every Teen Should Know to Have Mega-Money Success
• CentSai. Cure for Financial Literacy Exists, But It Isn't Easy
• Go Banking Rates. 7 Things Today's Kids Really Need to Know About Money