As a middle-school student in the 1980s, Lee Buono stayed after school one day to remove the brain and spinal cord from a frog. He did such a good job that his science teacher, Mr. Al Siedlecki from Medford Memorial Middle School in Medford, New Jersey, told him he might become a neurosurgeon someday. That's exactly what Buono did.

Years later, after yet another successful surgery, the patient suggested that Dr. Buono call his former teacher who had inspired him and thank him. So Buono did. Siedlecki hadn't heard from Buono since he was in high school.

"I want to thank you," Buono told him.

"I was flabbergasted," Siedlecki remembers. "I said, 'Of all the people in your entire career, you want to thank me?' It was the same feeling I had when ... my kids were born." Siedlecki continued, "I started to cry. It made me feel really important that I had that influence."

Lately, Siedlecki admits, "I almost am afraid to say that I'm a teacher to some people." Not anymore, he told Buono, "Because you called me …. I'm going to help as many people as I can to find their passion too."