'Kindness Repayed and the Birth of a Star' from Quote-a-Day

Sandy Greenberg was struck blind while studying at Columbia University. How did he manage to stay in school? His roommate read his textbooks to him -- every night. Not a commitment that many would find easy to make. Sandy went on to graduate with honors.

Not long after he got a call from his roommate, who told him unhappily that he no longer wanted to be in grad school -- he wanted to sing instead. And he needed $500 to make a promo record. Sandy took his life savings and sent it to his roommate, saying simply, "He made my life; I needed to help make his." The name of Sandy’s roommate? Art Garfunkel! Sandy’s check helped cut the record fated to become the platinum hit "The Sounds of Silence".

Read this and some other interesting stories in William Brody’s inspiring commencement address at the John's Hopkins university. [ Headlines@Hopkins ]