About Samuel Arcelay

- Childhood Dreams & Doubts
The Moment That Changed Everything
In the 2nd grade, a teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I cheerfully replied, “a child psychiatrist.” She laughed and told me, “You can’t.” When I asked why, she simply said, “Because you have to read a lot.” That memory stayed buried deep within me, forgotten for years. But one morning, it resurfaced, as clear as a sunny day. “If I’m so smart, Why do I clean toilets move boxes and handle garbage for a living?”
- A Life Lived in Limitation
Trapped by an Unseen Fear
As if hypnotized, I found myself standing in front of my bookshelf, questioning why I was working as a janitor. Then, like a slap on the back of my head, I remembered her words. That single moment of doubt, planted in my young subconscious mind, shaped my entire life. I spent decades avoiding anything that required “reading a lot.” I dropped out of school at age 12, never attended college, and worked low-paying jobs because they felt “safe.” I worked boring low paying jobs, I became a criminal.

Inspiring Minds Through Storytelling & Education

- The Awakening & Transformation
Breaking Free from the Past
- From Janitor to Author
Embracing Knowledge & Inspiring Others


- From Rebellion to Redemption
A Journey of Healing, Freedom, and Purpose
Born and raised in NYC’s streets, I battled addiction, prison, and pain. With no father and a hardworking single mother, I spiraled into rebellion, institutionalized at 12. A teacher’s doubt in 2nd grade planted deep insecurities, steering me away from academics. I found comfort in labor jobs, until I confronted my past. On September 28, 1988, I broke free. Now 66, I’ve spent 36 years clean—no drugs, no alcohol, no prison. I even quit smoking cigarettes. I accomplished this with no medicine no drug or alcohol program and no support. By these standards, I could have been a neuroscientist, or a concert pianist, a rocket scientist.