Annie Byrne, a poor widow and caretaker, had a hard time making ends meet. But she taught her son Simon how important it is to work hard and not give up. Simon, who was 13, was motivated to make things better for them.
He asked his mum when they would move to a nicer house one cold night. Annie couldn’t give him a straight answer because she only had $13 saved for food. But Simon was set on his goal.
Simon begged his mum for $13 to start his own business after seeing another boy’s lemonade stand. Annie reluctantly gave him the money because she was interested in his plan.
Simon bought plants and seeds and put them in a yard outside their caravan. Annie was amazed at how hard he worked, watering and pulling weeds all day. Soon, their garden was full of new plants and flowers.
People looking for healthy food came to Simon’s garden vegetable stand. As Simon’s sales increased, he grew more fruits and flowers from far away in his yard. Annie quit her job to help her son.
Rich farmer Alex saw how successful they were and was inspired by Simon’s natural ways of getting rid of pests. Alex asked Simon to work with him, and the two of them sent fresh food to states nearby.
It took Simon two years to save enough money to build a $2 million house on the spot where their old caravan used to be. Annie’s dream came true when he gave her the keys.
Annie was so proud of herself and thankful. Their lives had changed because of Simon’s drive. Even though he was rich now, Simon stayed humble and continued to take care of his first garden, picking fresh food for his family’s health and happiness.
The story of Simon shows how important it is to work hard, be determined, and have a mother who always backs you up. People who see his story of going from being poor to rich are encouraged to follow their dreams and never give up.
