This is a story of a man who basically grew up poor in the streets of New York City, who is one of five children, and his struggle to create a better life for himself. He quit high school but got his GED, and later he was drafted into the army during the Vietnam War. It tells of his war time adventures and how he managed to survive. After leaving the army, he met and married his wife, Mary Anne, and with her strong support went to college and earned a bachelor of science in accounting while working a full-time job. It is a story of a man who overcame many difficulties to achieve a happy life.