He only started reading at 31, but a diagnosis later inspired him to motivate children facing similar challenges.

Henry Winkler’s path to success was fraught with challenges.

He faced significant struggles in school, leading to severe reprimands from his parents. Over time, the constant criticism and name-calling eroded his self-esteem, a cycle he swore never to repeat with his own children.

Years later, he discovered the root cause of his academic difficulties. Armed with this knowledge, he was determined to use his diagnosis to uplift others, particularly children.

Henry Winkler is a successful actor, but his achievements did not come easily. In fact, he had to work extremely hard for everything he accomplished.

His journey began in childhood.

From an early age, Winkler faced high expectations, particularly in his educational pursuits.

“My parents were very short Jews from Germany,” Henry Winkler shared with The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity. “They valued education highly. They thought I was lazy. I was constantly called lazy and stupid, and accused of not living up to my potential.”

However, Winkler didn’t accept his parents’ view. He believed he was doing his utmost.

‘I don’t want to be stupid.’ Despite employing nearly every strategy possible, Winkler struggled greatly in school. This not only led to punishment from his parents but also prevented him from joining in school dances or plays.”I spent most of my high school years grounded.

My parents believed that if I sat at my desk for six weeks straight, I would finally understand the material and they could put an end to what they saw as my silly laziness. They thought that would solve everything.”

Despite his struggles in high school, Winkler went on to graduate with an MFA from Yale University.

However, he once again ran into some issues after graduation. Reading scripts proved to be quite difficult.

“You learn to adapt to your learning challenges. I improvised. I’ve never read anything exactly as it was written in my entire life,” Winkler explained.

“I could memorize a lot of it instantly, and for what I didn’t know, I made it up, threw caution to the wind, and delivered it with conviction. Sometimes that made them laugh, and sometimes it got me the job,” he said.

Despite these adaptations, Winkler admitted he faced difficulties during table reads, even after he landed the role of Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on “Happy Days.”

“When we were filming ‘Happy Days,’ I embarrassed myself for 10 years during script readings with the producers, other actors, directors, and department heads. Every Monday morning, we read through the scripts, and I stumbled over every word. It was utterly humiliating. However, if the writing is good, my brain can absorb it like a vacuum cleaner,” Winkler recounted.

It was only after his stepson faced difficulties in school and was tested for a learning disability that Winkler considered he might also have dyslexia.

“I realized, ‘Oh my goodness. I have something with a name.’ That was the moment I understood,” Winkler said.

It was only after his stepson faced difficulties in school and was tested for a learning disability that Winkler considered he might also have dyslexia.

“I realized, ‘Oh my goodness. I have something with a name.’ That was the moment I understood,” Winkler said.

Winkler was 31 years old at the time.

“I didn’t read a book until I was 31 years old when I was diagnosed with dyslexia. Books terrified me; they made me nervous,” he said.

Once Winkler realized his reading difficulties stemmed from a learning disability, he felt a surge of anger.

“I became very angry because all the arguments and all the grounding in my house with my German parents turned out to be pointless,” he expressed.

However, Winkler channeled his diagnosis into inspiring others, particularly children, by authoring a children’s book series. The series features a boy named Hank, an elementary school student with dyslexia.

Winkler mentioned that the series has resonated deeply, as he often receives letters from children who connect with the character.

“Every child who sends me a letter about Hank Zipzer gets a response from me. In each reply, I include a message: ‘Your learning challenge won’t prevent you from achieving your dream. Only you can stop yourself from reaching your dream.'”

Despite ongoing challenges with his learning disability, Winkler has achieved considerable success. He has won numerous awards for his Hollywood career and authored several books. Recently, it was announced that his memoir is set to be released in 2024.

Despite his many accomplishments, he stated, “Outside of my family, my proudest moments, regardless of my achievements, are the books.”

Henry Winkler is truly inspiring. It’s hard to imagine enduring constant criticism from your parents for not meeting their expectations, only to discover later that you have dyslexia.

It’s heartening to see how he overcame these challenges and became a source of motivation for others facing similar difficulties.