Greatitude in Action: How One Man Turned Grief Into Giving — and Coconut Water With a Purpose

Hey guys, it’s Debbie Nigro — and today, I want to introduce you to someone whose spirit will stick with you long after you finish reading this.

Meet John Chiorando — a brilliant businessman, devoted family man, and philanthropist — and yes, the self-proclaimed “Coconut Commander” behind the fast-growing beverage brand Once Upon a Coconut.

But it’s not just about the coconuts.

It’s about "Greatitude." Not a typo. It’s the name of John’s new book — a powerful message born from unimaginable heartbreak: the loss of his beautiful daughter, Nina, to a rare form of terminal cancer called Leptomeningeal Disease.

 

A Book Born From Heartache — and Healing

John didn’t plan to write a book. But when his young son once complained about not getting enough Christmas presents, something clicked. He realized how much of today’s culture is focused on what we lack, rather than what we have.

So he wrote Greatitude, a message-driven book that gently shifts our lens toward appreciation, especially for life’s simplest joys — like a cup of coffee, a walk on the beach, or time with someone we love.

Then Nina got sick.

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