In 1952, twentieth century entertainment icon Eddie Cantor survived his first heart attack, and he coined the name cardiactor for himself. His two-and-a-half-year-old grandson, Brian Gari later posed with his grandpa for the Heart Fund.

Little did Brian know that sixty years later, that experience would prove prophetic after he underwent a sudden open heart surgery and had a quadruple bypass. This is Brian’s personal story of the humor and sadness you can expect (and not expect) when undergoing one of the most serious operations one can ever endure and one of life’s most challenging moments.

About the Author: Brian Gari is also the author of We Bombed in New London: The Inside Story of the Broadway Musical Late Nite Comic (BearManor Media 2006). A composer, lyricist, author, record producer, and performer, he had a musical on Broadway called Late Nite Comic, as well as songs recorded by everyone from Margaret Whiting to pop music legends The Tokens and Lesley Gore. He has written the liner notes for a huge array of artists, such as Neil Sedaka and The Beach Boys. He has recorded twelve solo albums and produced all the releases on Eddie Cantor.