My grandfather, James Arruda Henry, was known to many as a hardworking lobsterman and devoted family man. But what few people knew for most of his life was that he couldn’t read or write. In his 90s, he made the decision to change that.

With quiet determination and the unwavering support of family, friends, and his cherished comrade and literacy tutor, Mark Hogan, he learned to read and write.

At the age of 98, he published In a Fisherman’s Language, a book of stories from his remarkable life. This page is a tribute to his journey—one of courage, perseverance, and a reminder that it’s never too late to begin something new.