An Amazing Grandma’s Greatest Joy: Being Mimi

When Kathy Arlotta hears the familiar rhythm of little feet pounding up her driveway, she knows what’s coming next — a full-speed hug that nearly knocks her off balance. It might be her granddaughter Stella, eager to share a story, or her grandson Max, proudly holding up a drawing. Sometimes it’s Jack, the boy from down the street, who’s not related by blood but still calls her “Mimi.”

To all of them, Kathy is more than a grandmother. She’s a source of comfort, laughter, and unwavering love. She’s the one who always listens, remembers their favorite snacks like a bag of Moose Munch or a sweet surprise, and transforms everyday moments into memories.

“Becoming a grandmother was like being reborn,” she says. “After all the fear, all the heartbreak, there it was — joy. The kind that fills you from the inside.”

That joy was hard-won. Kathy has endured losses and illnesses that might have dimmed someone else’s light. Instead, they deepened her resolve to fill her grandchildren’s lives with the love and strength she’s carried through every season of her own.

Strength across generations

Kathy’s journey to becoming Mimi began with loss. She was just four when her mother died of breast cancer. Her father, Joseph, newly married and preparing for retirement at 51, suddenly found himself raising two little girls alone.

With help from extended family, he made sure Kathy and her sister had a Catholic education, a stable home, and clear expectations. His blend of discipline and devotion left a lasting mark. He showed up every day — not perfectly, but fully. It’s the model Kathy has followed ever since.

Kathy met Larry, a jazz musician, in her twenties. They built a life in Manhattan, then Brooklyn, and eventually upstate. Together, they raised their daughter, Lauren. Life was full — until Larry was diagnosed with lung cancer. Ninety days later, he was gone.

Lauren was just 14. “I didn’t have the option of falling apart,” Kathy says. “She needed me.”

She kept the household running, held down her job in retail, and kept going. A few years later, she faced her own diagnosis: stage 3 breast cancer. Her response was characteristically direct: “Take them both,” she told her doctor before undergoing a double mastectomy.

She coped with humor — even hosting a “farewell party” before her surgery — and continued working through treatment thanks to a compassionate boss who stood by her.

The gift of Mimi time

Years passed. Lauren grew up, had children of her own, and with that, a new chapter began. Stella and Max brought a kind of joy Kathy hadn’t known she was missing.

Her days are now filled with small but meaningful rituals: packing lunches with care and special treats, reading bedtime stories that dissolve into laughter, waving from the porch as the kids head off to school. Even the neighborhood kids seek out Mimi’s hugs.

Her health still bears the marks of cancer treatment, but she doesn’t let it stop her. “I just pray I stay well long enough for them to remember me,” she says.

A legacy of love

Asked how she’s made it through so much, Kathy answers without hesitation. “There’s always been someone who needed me. That’s what kept me going.”

Today, she passes that resilience on in quiet, powerful ways — in how she listens, how she laughs, how she shows up. Through the simplest gestures, she’s teaching her grandchildren what love looks like when it’s unconditional, steady, and strong.

For Stella, Max, and every child lucky enough to call her Mimi, Kathy’s presence is a gift that will live in their hearts long after the hugs and stories fade.

Kathy's give-get list

A selection of gifts Kathy loves to give and to get.

Chocolate-Covered Fruit

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Bakery Tray - Signature

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Snack Box

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