Henry Winkler’s journey to success wasn’t easy. As a child, he struggled in school and was constantly punished and belittled by his parents, who called him “lazy” and “dumb.” They couldn’t understand why he failed to meet expectations despite his best efforts. Winkler spent much of high school grounded, believing if he just worked harder, he’d “get it.”

Despite the struggles, he earned an MFA from Yale. But even then, reading scripts was difficult. During Happy Days, where he played Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli, he often stumbled through table reads, humiliated by his stammering. What others didn’t know was that Winkler had dyslexia—something he wouldn’t discover until he was 31, after his stepson was tested for a learning disorder.

“I didn’t read until I was 31,” Winkler said. “Books frightened me.” Learning he had dyslexia filled him with both anger and relief—anger at the years of punishment, and relief at finally understanding why. Determined to turn his struggle into purpose, Winkler began writing children’s books about Hank Zipzer, a young boy with dyslexia.

The series inspired countless children facing similar challenges. “Your learning challenge will not stop you from meeting your dream,” he writes to fans. Now a celebrated author and actor, Winkler says, “Outside of my family, my proudest moments are the books.”