Thread by @ACotonio

At the airport waiting on flight to see Mom in ICU. Promised I would tell her story to the world before she’s gone. She is my hero, shaped the man I am today, and the most OG #hacker when Kevin Mitnick was still in diapers.

Prepare for a mega thread. RTs welcome! 1/x

Grew up in a bad home, left at 13 and took her 5yo brother too. Went off grid. Got a job, apartment, everything. She was always tall and attractive, so she made a life for them in relative safety.

Learned to socially engineer people at a pretty young age. 2/x

You can’t do this if you’re just a dumb kid raising another kid. She had street smarts, and did her best to impart that on us. Especially my older sister. Best piece of advice I ever heard her tell sis:

“Don’t have to choose between wearing and burning your bra. Adapt.” 3/x

With formal 8th grade ed, she took whatever job was necessary. Or 3. I’ve never seen her quit anything, ever. Best lesson I ever took in.

She never quit learning either. Bought old library books on penny/nickel sales, and filled the house. Better edu than some PhDs. 4/x

Read everything, every topic, every night. Could debate anything at dinner. Twin and I were huge in science, remember one night in particular. Discussing adv physics and couldn’t hold a candle to her, and it wasn’t even her fav subject. She’s an entire encyclopedia. 5/x

I remember another time when I was starting #infosec years ago. Late 90s era. Offhand req one night, asked to borrow some of my books/notes.

Within 6 months, she could competently discuss/execute early tactics like directory traversals and injections. 6/x

She used this raw int and street skills to survive. Met my dad waaaaay back in the day hustling pool. Told me how they would “paint Rembrandts” (multi-day engineering for a billiards hustle). Remembers those days fondly, although it was hard at the time. 7/x

Another lesson she taught us: hustling to survive is one thing against those with the means; never take advantage of someone who’s down. E.g., they never took rent money, just out-hustled other hustlers.

Help everyone that you can 8/x

Brb, going through security. 9/x

Her exp taught her how hard life can be, especially without a formal edu, and how ridiculous it is at minimum wage. She’d tip her last $10 to make sure someone had a better night when providing a service.

Taught us to tip everything (tire rotation, barber, etc). Tip well 10/x

Stop and help everyone that you can. And she did and could. Watched her literally hoist engines out of cars to rebuild for neighbors in a jam. You may depend on them (or those skills) tone day. Be the good first. 11/x

Speaking of skills. “If you can read, you can learn”. And she did. Saved enough to lay a foundation, and then she

BUILT A HOUSE.

With just books, drive, and the lessons of poverty. 11yo twin boys and my 18yo sis were her extra hands. Taught us as she learned. 12/x

We all learned to plumb, install wiring, put up drywall, tile, etc. using nothing but library books (pre internet). Now that I own a home, there’s little I can’t fix. Poverty is a brutal instructor, but one I’m actually thankful now. 13/x

You’re reading this thinking... hero? She sounds absolutely superhuman. That’s because she is.

She is.

14/x

Finally getting to a point in life of scraping ahead penny by penny, and we’re teenagers... she finishes GED. Formal edu *does* matter, or at least historically. Never get ahead if you don’t push yourself. Saves enough to work only 1 job, and gets scholarship to college 15/x

Finishes ahead of schedule with a 3.8GPA/Honors Society/summa cum laude. Sets the bar again for her kids. When I finally went to college, it was to out do her. She cheered the entire way, and was so proud of 4.0.

Bro now in college, and he’s got a perfect rec too. 16/x

She became an English teacher. Stable, if underpaid profession. Until cancer for the third time. Yup, this is her third bout and she’s still here. I don’t think she’ll win this time, but it won’t be for a lack of determination.

17/x

Mentioned earlier about burning or wearing a bra to adapt? We were poor as hell, but she did buy a VCR for the family at one point. Before home tape cleaners became a thing, you had to take it to Sears for cleaning, or it would eventually play like garbage. 18/x

Tired of cleaning fee, she loaded us up wearing a pretty outfit and best perfume. Flirted with technician and played like she was the dumbest blonde that ever lived...

...while he explained exactly how to clean it just like he does. Never went back to Sears lol. 19/x

Realize the burn/wear terminology is dated, but just relaying as she had told us. Forgive it please. 20/x

Loves Star Trek. She is relentless as a Borg, studied as Data (hi @BrentSpiner), and cunning yet compassionate as Picard. My Mom truly is an example to follow.

21/x

@BrentSpiner So let me cap this because I need to catch my flight.

1: fuck cancer
2: My mom is incredibly dear to me, and why I am the man I am today. Taught me *everything*.

Just wanted the world to know a part of her while she’s still here. 22/22

@BrentSpiner Just wanted to briefly update: obv can’t speak hardly at all, but plenty of nods to say “I love you”. Very touch-and-go.

Thank you all for the huge outpouring of support. Read every DM to her, even when she wasn’t lucid. Much love for y’all ❤️ 23/23