74 years ago today, my dad arrived in the United States, as a little boy with his family, from Sicily.

They didn’t speak the language. They didn’t know anyone. They came anyway, with whatever they could carry and a belief that the work would be worth it. My grandfather came before them to get a place to live while his family waited to join him in Sicily. It took 6 months, but they eventually made the trip in 1952. Can’t imagine how much he missed his family during their time apart.

That kind of decision is hard to fully appreciate from the other side of it. You’re betting your whole life on a country you’ve never seen. You’re trusting that what you build here will outlast what you left behind, the hard years, the language, the culture. A hard reset.

They made that bet and it paid off. Many times over.

Growth lives in the uncomfortable. Results come from doing hard things. My family’s whole life in this country is proof of it.

Everything good I have traces back to a decision somebody else made to be uncomfortable so the next generation can be better off than they were.

I’m so grateful they made the journey. Grateful for what they’ve built. Grateful for this incredible country.

Here is an actual photo of my grandparents, my uncles and my dad (far right) in Sicily.