Henry Winkler, beloved for his role as Fonzie on Happy Days, had a childhood far from the glamorous image associated with celebrities. Born to immigrant parents who escaped Nazi Germany, Winkler faced challenges due to an undiagnosed reading disorder.
His parents, unaware of his dyslexia, labeled him as “dumb” and even referred to him as a ‘Dummo Hund,’ or dumb dog. Teachers and peers followed suit, leading to a difficult upbringing that impacted his self-image.
Despite these hardships, Winkler pursued his dreams relentlessly. Applying to 28 colleges, he secured admission to two and eventually received an acceptance letter from the prestigious Yale School of Drama. His talent shone during an improvised Shakespearean monologue, catapulting him to success.
While thriving on-screen, portraying the charismatic Fonzie, Winkler grappled with dyslexia affecting his reading and coordination. Even when offered the lead role in Grease, he declined to avoid typecasting.
At 31, Winkler’s perspective changed during his stepson Jed’s dyslexia test. Realizing they shared the struggle, Winkler acknowledged dyslexia as a barrier that had silently impacted his life. Overcoming auditions by memorizing scripts, he used humor to mask any inadequacies, claiming he provided the ‘essence of the character.’
Post-Happy Days, Winkler ventured into various acting roles and contributed to creating the MacGyver series. Despite transitional phases, his determination and talent prevailed, showcasing that overcoming personal struggles could lead to significant accomplishments.
Henry Winkler’s journey from being labeled “dumb” to becoming a beloved figure highlights the power of determination and talent in achieving greatness. His story serves as an inspiration, emphasizing that personal challenges can be conquered with resilience and dedication.
Mom of rare twins with Down syndrome shuts down critics with photo showing how beautiful they are
Twin pregnancies are still quite uncommon, despite a 72% increase in likelihood between 1980 and 2018. Twins are born in about 33 of every 1,000 births.
What are the probabilities of having identical twins? Out of 1,000 births, three to four are identical twins on average. So once more, not very common.
Savannah Combs, age 23, was overjoyed to learn she was expecting twins. She then discovered that they both have Down syndrome, which is also unusual.
Of course, the information was upsetting. Savannah and her husband Justin Ackerman were aware that due of her illness and the state of her children, some people would judge them.
But Savannah finds that to be the same thing that makes them so beautiful.
“It’s very rare what they have, but they’ve been my little gems,” she mentioned.
Savannah, a Middleburg, Florida native, posted videos of her postpartum journey on TikTok with her kids Kennadi Rue and Mckenli Ackerman, and the videos immediately acquired popularity.
Savannah said in one of her videos that she was advised to abort her children because they wouldn’t survive.
She made the choice to keep them and give them a shot.
”Every [prenatal] appointment they were alive was a blessing to me,” Savannah explained.
Her spouse was gone at boot camp when she found out they both had Down syndrome.
When Savannah was admitted to the hospital, she was 29 weeks along with her pregnancy and gave birth to twin daughters. Kennadi Rue and Mckenli Ackerman, identical twin daughters, were born on May 12, 2021.
The twins had to spend a few weeks in the NICU before going home because they were born two months early.
“They’re called mono di twins, meaning that they had their own sacs, but they shared the same placenta, meaning that they were going to be identical,” she said.
“Mo di twins as it is, it’s like very rare. And then you throw Down syndrome on top of it, it’s like one in 2 million.”
They are just like any other youngster, according to Savannah, despite having an uncommon disease.
“They have feelings. They have a beating heart. They know how to talk. They know how to do things you do. They will get there,” she said.
“Like I said, it may be a step behind but they’re going to do it. I’ve learned these kids are feisty little things and happy little things.”Savannah posts wonderful updates on TikTok as each youngster continues to reach their milestones.
“I’m going to let them know that they’re just like us and they’re going to get there as long as they put their minds to it.”
Nevertheless, some people feel compelled to be critical of Savannah and her family. The young mother was forced to respond to some extremely cruel people on social media as a result.
”I wouldn’t want those babies; if mine came out like that, they would be straight up for adoption,” one person wrote to the mother.
Savannah, though, had the ideal response, which she posted on Facebook.
“I said, good thing they weren’t born to you and were born to me. God knew what he was doing by giving these babies to the right parents who would love them regardless.”
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