Born and raised in Florida, 36-year-old Diego Henry Jr. grew up going to Walt Disney World. To him, working at the theme parks meant he could bring that same wonder he experienced there to others.
When Henry started working as an attraction host at the Fantasmic! show at Hollywood Studios in December 2013, he made $8.35 an hour, he said. Soon after starting, he and his daughter Zoe were living “paycheck to paycheck, cash advance to cash advance” even though he was working full time, he said.
His credit was “horrible,” and there were weeks when he and Zoe would have to eat instant ramen until the next payday, he said.
