Neil Cavuto's MORE THAN MONEY is an extraordinary, deeply inspiring, heartfelt, and very moving book. Mr. Cavuto's reasons for writing the book are in themselves inspiring. As the title indicates, he wants to describe, and remind us of, the most important values in life, all of which are about "more than money."
As a storyteller, gifted as he is humble, he chose to personalize and dramatize those values by showing them in action, describing the fascinating, heartbreaking, triumphant, heroic, nobly compassionate, and ultimately, profoundly inspirational and heroic lives of the more than two dozen people, who became and are HIS heroes.
Many of the people and lives whom Mr. Cavuto celebrates, appreciates, and expresses his undying gratitude to, are world-famous-Joe Torre, NY Yankees, Geraldine Ferraro, retired politician, Richard Branson, Virgin's founder, while others are less-well known. Most have achieved major professional success, even greatness, in sports, business, politics, and more, but what makes them Mr. Cavuto's heroes is that every one of them rose to personal greatness, and a dedication of their lives to crusades and missions, with the same universal goal: helping as many other people as they can.
The people whose lives he profiles with such clear and worthy admiration and respect, became his heroes because they survived major catastrophes, deadly illnesses, devastating fires, and the deaths of those they loved most, for example, during 9/11, have experienced much of the worst of life, and most importantly, made their survival a life-changing experience, that made them prioritize what is best for others over themselves.
It is their courage, nobility, selflessness, determination, and encompassing compassion, the way they dealt with their own tragedies and losses, and what they did while, and after, surviving, that has inspired Mr. Cavuto as he's struggled with the continuing devastation in his own life for almost twenty years.
After losing both of his parents to cancer, Neil Cavuto became a cancer survivor seventeen years ago, and the inspiration and example of his heroes greatly helped him through the next, difficult ten years of cancer remission, and supported and elevated him even more when seven years ago, he was also diagnosed with incurable Multiple Sclerosis.
A rare, double survivor, Mr. Cavuto has a special appreciation for those survivors whose suffering makes them think less about themselves, and more about the too-vast suffering of many millions of people in America and around the world.
While he interweaves the story of his own life, within the unforgettable life stories of his heroes, his primary focus is always on them, and what they did and are doing, and his writing this book that celebrates and illuminates the life-missions and crusades of his heroes, is his own, very important way, of helping other people endure, rise above, and if possible, avoid, the causes of suffering that are so tragically common in our lives.
As I read Mr. Cavuto's book, he quickly became my hero, as his heroes became my heroes too.
These heroic survivors, their life-stories, Neil Cavuto, and his own life and book, combine to make MORE THAN MONEY have a far greater and enduring value and quality, than the mere wealth, fame, and success that he puts so well into the proper context.
Only rarely does a book have the power to change a life, but Mr. Cavuto's book has changed and improved mine and the lives of those I love, and for that, I'll be forever grateful.
