The Dean's Underwear

Nobody told Don Gnecco that growing up in poverty in a cockroach-infested one-room garage apartment on the Mississippi Bayou or a converted Prisoner-of-War camp in southern New Mexico might possibly lead to a lifetime of desperation or despair. He also didn't know that growing up on military bases with an overbearing and abusive father might break his spirit and therefore reduce his opportunity to live the American Dream.

In this poignant and sometimes heartbreaking story, the reader is taken on a twisty and emotional journey in what might be characterized as an example of the resilience of the human spirit. Hold-your-breath traumatic moments are interspersed with tender and often humorous anecdotes that will leave the reader wondering how one might survive, never mind, thrive.

From what many might guess was a doomed childhood, Don Gnecco ultimately figures out how to navigate his way in the world, serving as excellent preparation to help other kids over the five decades he served as an educator.

Playing softly in the background is Don Gnecco's longstanding passion for music and performing that only emerges in his forties, after his children are nearly grown. His inspirational songs of hope and empowerment have been performed internationally. Our educator-turned-songwriter tells his story with child-like wonder and with the belief that miracles, blessings, and synchronicities are in all our lives when we are open to seeing them.