We can go into the debate of how much inequality is healthy for a society to encourage innovation and hard work. However in many parts of the world and even U.S. I would say many talented and intelligent people didn't even get the chance to work hard to earn something because the society didn't provide them such a chance. Your personal experience is moving but the reality is many people are rich not because they worked hard and many poor not because they were lazy. Those (extreme) inequalities are a result of injustice. If a society is too unfair, that will surely discourage people to contribute to the society.