#26- More Than a Mother: A Life of Loyalty, Laughter, and Love. My Mom

Some people are remembered for what they had. Others are remembered for what they achieved. My mom is remembered for how she made people feel, loved, welcomed, laughed with, and never forgotten. In this episode, I share the story of Carmella, a woman raised in Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood who became the kind of person people never forgot. She was strong, funny, stubborn, deeply caring, and the person who showed up when others needed her most. She carried loss, hardship, and pain with a strength that shaped everyone around her. 
I also speak openly about our relationship, the strain my gambling addiction caused, and the healing we were able to find before she passed. Some of the most meaningful moments of my life came in those final years. 
This episode is not about perfection. It’s about impact. It’s about the kind of woman who made people feel seen, made them laugh when they needed it most, and loved in a way that stayed with you. Her life reminded me that the greatest legacy we can leave is how we treat people while we’re here. It’s about showing up.  This is for my mom.