On a Tuesday morning, around seven AM, in the middle of the fourth month of 1955, a boy was born. None could know it then, but life's greatest gifts would, over the course of the next half century and then some, be bestowed on him…

A family that loves without condition and that nurtures, comforts and celebrates through acts small and large, of incredible generosity and spirit.

Friends — incredible friends — new and old, nearby and scattered across this globe, whose companionship, support and shared moments (of glories, setbacks, recoveries and grand adventures) have enriched… no, more… defined, my life.

Please allow me, on this day when so many of you have offered such kind and warm wishes on the anniversary of my birth, to return the favor, by letting you know just how much I treasure our bond. I only hope that I can return in some small measure all that you have given to me. Thank you.