Last night we met Denise and Alan for dinner at a very small local restaurant. Well during dinner Denise and Alan both recognized the couple sitting next to us (tables are only 1 foot away from each other so it's almost like we're all at one table). The man on the other side of us recognized them too and went over and started talking to him. He is the man who was featured on DATELINE recently who is the musician for all the movies (also an instructor at UCLA) and had a brain tumor. DATELINE featured the entire operation including waking him up during the surgery to play music to him. Unfortunately, Tom and I didn't see this particular DATELINE but I'm sure Denise can fill you in on the details that I can't.

He and his wife were both so nice and it was nice talking to them. As popular as DATELINE is, I'm sure many of you probably saw this episode. I sure have a lot of respect and admiration for this man!!

A great time at dinner with you and Tom, Marcie.

Here is a little more information pertaining to the amazing surgery that this incredible man/musician underwent a few months ago -

MUSICAL BRAIN MAP: Linda Liau, associate professor of neurosurgery, and Susan Bookheimer, professor-in-residence at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA and the UCLA Brain Mapping Center, and their work were featured Friday in an hour‑long NBC "Dateline" segment about a UCLA Medical Center patient, a musician, whose musical abilities were mapped while he was awake during surgery to remove a brain tumor.

http://www2.healthcare.ucla.edu/Neurosciences/CNUSpring04.pdf

I'll add more as I'm able to find it.

We saw that episode. It was really amazing.

Wow! What a neat meeting! I saw that Dateline. What made me feel better,(because of my non musical ability) is that this man, more or less proved that a musical person, is sort of born into the ability. When they were maping his brain, they found out that when he reads music, it was like reading words. Hhe read notes from the same part of the brain that he reads type. So playing music to him is like the REST of us talking. He just TALKS the notes.! Amazing! I think I didn't get that same gene along the line. LOL!
I am so glad that he is doing well.
Bob

It's an amazing and very touching story. We were thrilled to meet and speak with this incredible man and his wife. His will and determination to undergo this surgery and not have it affect his gift of music is a lesson for us all - never give up.

Let's all hope he continues to do well!