I'm 83 and raised my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I work part-time for extra money and hope to retire by 90.

"I'm blessed because even when things were really hard, it always seemed like something came up to help me out. There was always some job for me. I've always been a survivor. How can I see it any differently? I had three kids, 11 months and 15 months apart. My middle child, David, is autistic. He didn't walk until he was three and was extremely hyperactive."

"I was lucky if we got four hours of sleep a night. He's smart and understands, but he was always on the move. Raising them all was hectic. I worked at a dentist's office and as a cocktail waitress. I was able to have David stay at a training school for a month to give me a break, and when he came home, he was calmer because he had a routine."

"A year after I got divorced in 1976, I moved to Arizona with my two other kids, who were still young, while David stayed in Wisconsin. Arizona didn't have any facilities for him at the time, and he was in great hands where he was. I was able to get some accounting jobs. I was an office manager with an accounting background, but I never earned a degree."

Sue Miller, an 83-year-old Wisconsin resident, raised three children, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren largely independently after her 1976 divorce. Her middle child David is autistic and required intensive care during childhood, including hyperactivity management and specialized training. Miller worked various jobs including dentist office assistant, cocktail waitress, and accounting positions to support her family. She temporarily moved to Arizona with two younger children while David remained in Wisconsin for better care facilities. Despite facing significant hardships throughout her life, Miller attributes her survival to her resilient mindset and belief that opportunities always emerged when needed. Currently retired but working part-time as a school lunch lady, Miller lives near her autistic son and remains active despite battling cancer, motivated to reach 100 years old.

Read at Business Insider