My friend’s grandfather (98) passed away and talking about all he accomplished as a MAILMAN is maddening (his brother, now, has the exact same job for comparison)

He was born during the Great Depression, had tons of physical hardships, and right out of high school became a mailman where he worked until he retired at 68. As a mailman, he was able to -Put 3 kids through college who are now doctors and an ad executive -Purchase 3 properties: A personal home, a cabin on the lake, and a 22-acre ranch that the family uses to hunt -Had a pension that paid almost $55K a year -Is about to leave everyone in the family hundreds of thousands to split My friend's brother is 27 and got the exact same job and he lives paycheck to paycheck, 4 AM to 4 PM shifts, in one of those crumb bum ass dilapidated apartment complexes with beat-up carpeting in the hallway. How is this possible?