Henry Winkler is known around the world as the beloved actor who brought Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli to life on Happy Days.
But before he became a household name, he spent years struggling with something he didn't understand and feeling like he wasn't living up to his family's expectations.
During a conversation with Hoda Kotb on Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb, Winkler, 80, opened up about his childhood, his parents' experiences as immigrants from Nazi Germany, and the lasting impact of growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia.
Winkler explained that his parents left everything behind when they fled Nazi Germany and worked to build a new life for their family in the United States.
"My parents came from Nazi Germany. They left everything behind. They started a new life," Winkler shared. "A new language, a job. They gave us, my sister and I, a life."
But he said the trauma his parents carried with them affected the way they viewed his struggles as a child.
"Somewhere in that journey, their psyche was beaten to a pulp," Winkler said, describing the emotional damage they experienced after surviving such a difficult time.
The actor recalled feeling like he was constantly disappointing them, especially because he struggled in school. At the time, he did not know that dyslexia was the reason learning came so differently for him.
"They had no child vision. I was supposed to be. I was bred to be. I didn't. I was an embarrassment. I didn't do well in school," he said.
Winkler also shared one of the most painful memories from his childhood: a nickname his father used when frustrated with his academic struggles.
His father, who spoke 11 languages, did not understand that dyslexia could be hereditary or that his son's challenges were not a reflection of intelligence.
Winkler said his father told him he was a "dummer hund," a German phrase that translates to "dumb dog."
For years, Winkler believed those struggles meant something was wrong with him. Without a diagnosis, he said he developed a damaged sense of self.
"I had no sense of self," Winkler has previously shared about growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia.
As an adult, Winkler learned that his difficulties in school were connected to dyslexia, a diagnosis that helped him understand himself in a new way. He has since become a passionate advocate for children with learning differences, often speaking about the importance of recognizing when a child is struggling.
During his conversation, Winkler acknowledged the sacrifices his parents made and the challenges they endured, while also reflecting on what he wishes had been different.
"I take all of the total of the achievement and the courage and the pain of my parents," he said. "What I cannot abide is what I just said."
He explained that when a child is struggling, adults should look beyond the behavior and recognize that something deeper may be happening.
"You see the child in front of you," Winkler said. "You might not be able to define the problem, you might not be able to fix the problem, but you know there's a problem, and then you act accordingly."
Today, Winkler's story is a reminder of how much can change when children receive understanding instead of judgment. The actor who once felt like he wasn't enough went on to become one of Hollywood's most enduring and admired figures while using his own experience to help others feel seen.
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