When I was a child, we used to visit Martins, the small town my grandpa grew up in. I was always proud to say, “I’m Beatriz, Jenner’s granddaughter.” I felt like a celebrity’s child—everyone loved him for so many different reasons, and he became my inspiration in life.
His name, “Jenner,” was chosen to honor the doctor who discovered the vaccine, Edward Jenner. He always told me that when his father chose his name, he chose his destiny. In the area he lived, most people had children to help with labor on the farms. Yet, my great-grandfather thought differently. He made all his 12 children travel down the mountain by donkey every day so they could have access to a proper education.
When my grandfather became a teenager, his hunger for education outgrew what that small town could offer. He went to the nearest capital, Natal, to study in a private school. There he focused on sciences, dreaming of returning to Martins to become one of the first doctors the town ever had.
During that time, he met the love of his life: my grandmother. They soon married and had my father. But he never forgot his dream, pursuing the turbulent and expensive path to become a doctor. At that time, there were only a few medical schools, and he had to relocate to an even bigger and costlier town. To finish his degree, he worked tirelessly—at one point, serving simultaneously as a biology teacher and a school director.
Everything seemed to be going well until my grandparents lost three babies within a few years. Even while grieving and managing the stress of his studies, he persevered and became a doctor. In the years that followed, he helped Martins and several surrounding cities, receiving tributes from city halls more than five times.
Now, as a retired man in his 70s, he hasn’t lost his strength and still works occasionally. He spends all his free time with his family, enjoys visiting the towns he served, and loves recounting adventures from his youth. He also adores animals and farm work, unable to spend a month away from his cattle.
My grandfather’s journey is proof of resilience and makes me prouder of my roots. He impacted not only my life but the lives of everyone he healed. Watching him turn adversity into motivation inspired me to fight just as hard for my own dreams. As he has always told me, knowledge and education can transform one’s reality and are the safest path to a happy, stable life. Today, when I claim to be Jenner’s granddaughter, I feel not only pride but also a responsibility to carry his legacy forward.
By Beatriz Xavier
