How Starbucks Saved My Life

Sunday Morning: A Riches-To-Rags Story Takes A Fortuitous Turn At A Coffee Shop

(CBS)  Nehemiah Luckett is the manager at the Bronxville Starbucks where Gill now works. He says Gill's forte is customer service.

"There's just this positive energy flowing from him - from him to the customers."

Customer Lisa Diaz said, "Mike's a great guy. I come in every morning at like 10 of 6 and he's always happy and cheerful."

"When you think of simple pleasures, it's coming to Starbucks and seeing Mike."

"That's the magic of serving people an enjoyable experience," Gill said, "is that you become very good friends with them, where you enjoy moments of laughter. They're just precious seconds I realized almost too late in life those are the moments you can really savor most."

"At any point did your kids say to you, 'Dad, you've just lost it?'"

"Our children have shown me so much love during this difficult time. There's never been a moment where I didn't feel that they loved me and wanted me to be happy."

One of his daughters even suggested he keep a journal, which became the basis for his book. Only after it came out this year did Mike's customers and co-workers learn the real story of the man behind the counter.

"Now when you know the full background of everything, it's an absolutely amazing story," said Luckett.

So amazing that Tom Hanks has bought movie rights, and reportedly wants to play Michael in the film.

"I was in a state of shock, because I'd written a very different ending for my life," Gill said. "I'd written sort of an unhappy life going from riches to rags, and here was Tom Hanks calling and saying he wanted to play me in a movie."

But he's hardly living a movie star's life. Home is now a third-floor walk up in Bronxville. He says he so much happier in the "cozy little attic apartment" than he ever was in the 25-room house.

"So, you've downsized a bit?"

"Right, I was downsized. Now I'm downsizing myself."

Stripped of his sense of entitlement, Mike Gill says he's a new man.

"There's not a smidgeon of me that wishes I could be back in that life. I'm so relieved that all this huge weight of this huge mansion is gone from me, and all the expectations associated with it."

"When you say Starbucks saved your life, you're not kidding."

"This is the literal truth, not a metaphor or poetic exaggeration," Gill said. "It's literally true - my life for me was over. I'm so much happier serving than I ever was being served."

Not only have his five kids accepted their father's new life, that brain tumor has turned out not to be life-threatening.

"I'm alive. I'm happier than I've ever been. And I have a chance to share my story, and maybe somebody, hopefully younger than me, can say, 'Hey, if you ever get a chance, and you feel stuck, leap to a new life.'"

[kweep]

Wow! I think it would be better to go to a hospital if you have a brain tumor instead of Starbucks. I wonder what is in the coffee?

[oldpilot954]

I guess I''m getting old. I''ve gotten so that I don''t envy someone else''s riches. I will admit I get a little irritated at people who live off my taxes because they aren''t willing to work menial jobs. That especially rubs me the wrong way when they sit around and bad-mouth both the government and those who work and pay taxes. I understand that jobs are hard to find and I may be unemployed tomorrow. But I started working in 1968, before my 14th birthday, and have only been out of a job a couple of times since. Those times only lasted about 2-3 months and then only because I did not want to change careers. I grew up in a "blue-collar" family and I can''t really relate to having the kind of income Mr. Gill had before. However, I can relate to getting reminded that the important things are not related to the bank account. I don''t think I''ve ever heard of a man on his death-bed saying he wished he had spent more time making money and less time making relationships.

[hypnotoad72]

That guy is a philanderer and a cheat. So many good people are being displaced...

[iceman_1960]

bump

[mh4cbs1]

A Christmas message for Geroge Bush:

Merry Christmas! Let''''s not forget the teachings of Jesus on this holy day.

For Jesus taught us to Do ''''shock and awe'''' with death and destruction unto others, before they might strike us, or maybe plan to strike us.

Let us rejoice our fear, hatred and revenge, for it gives us the power of pride.

Let God give us the Wisdom to spend our hundreds of billions of dollars on cost-effective weapons, rather than squander it on lesser causes like poverty, infrastructure, health or education.

God Bless America, and to hell with the rest of the world or anyone else who gets in the way of our "interests".

And finally, Merry Christmas to Haliburton, Blackwater and the War Industry. Your $686 Billion is yours to spend in 2008. Have fun.

[iceman_1960]

Silly me. It"s an Italian word, not Spanish.

"barista: a person who works at the counter of a coffee shop; a coffee bar server"

[iceman_1960]

"He"s a barista at Starbucks."

Shouldn"t a "barista" be working at Taco Bell ?







[Just kidding]

[iceman_1960]

"Now that a book is written and Tom Hanks is doing a movie could it be said now this is a story of riches to rags to super riches?"
- Posted by l8c6 at 12:46 PM : Dec 24, 2007

This occurred to me also.

["His father, Brendan Gill, was a writer for the New Yorker for more than 60 years, author of a bestselling history of the magazine, and friend to many of the city"s most famous faces."]

I"m not being cynical. Creative writing runs deep in Irish culture. In proportion to their numbers the Irish have probably produced at least as many great writers as anybody, and more than most. (That"s culture, not genes. Human beings produce that which their culture values.)

[den-man1]

I loved this story and put it on my blog at www.DennisMansfield.com. I work with ex-addicts and ex-inmates, helping them gain ground in their new lives. To read about Michael''s re-gaining of his life was inspirational. We just started an Ex-inmate Theatre to help folks capture their dreams for the first time. How wonderful that Michael is re-capturing his joy for life.

Happy, happy New Year for Michael Gates Gills!
Dennis In Boise

[nlm2383]

This was a great story...

[l8c6]

Now that a book is written and Tom Hanks is doing a movie could it be said now this is a story of riches to rags to super riches?

[l8c6]

what???!!! nobody here is going to blame this on the Bush Administration???

Posted by krenz4

Nope, not a one. It''s Clinton, Carter and the socialist do-gooder bleeding heart liberals fault. Ann Coulter, Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh have confirmed this.

[l8c6]

t"s Bush"s fault.

Posted by Iceman_1960

No, it''s Clinton, Carter and the bleeding heart liberal do-gooders fault.

[iceman_1960]

RE: "YOU PRIVLEGED SUCKERS OUT THERE THAT DONT DO SQUAT"

Some folks have knee and back problems that won"t permit them to squat.

Gentler exercises like yoga and swimming laps are better for them.

[hypnotoad72]

I THINK IF ALOT MORE OF YOU PRIVLEGED SUCKERS OUT THERE THAT DONT DO SQUAT, SHOULD HAVE TO WORK LOWCLASS FOR AWHILE. MAY BE ABLE TO PULL YOUR SNOTTY HEADS OUT YOUR *** AND TREAT ALL PEOPLE A LOT NICER, YOU TAKERS OF HANDED OUT WEALTH, YOU DOERS OF NOTHING, YOU GREED GRUBBERS, YOU NONE GIVERS OF ANYTHING...**** OFF.

Posted by NUTSIE11
--------------------------

Who''s your target audience? ;)

[chuerta_1]

Thank you Sunday Morning for the wonderful early Christmas gift of your show this last Sunday 12/23. I truly wish you could air your show later in the day during the week so people who are sleeping in on Sunday mornings can enjoy the love you share with us. I love that all of your stories, no matter how they begin, end in triumph. I salute you for saluting those who ''figure it out'' and rise above adversity.

[consciousnes]

Today is Christmas Eve. I can understand when some people are angry at the world, they strike out and want to hurt someone else because they too have been hurt.
BUT like I said, today is Christmas Eve, and whether or not you believe as a Christian or a Muslim or Hebrew, or Hindu, or Buddist, or Zoroaster, or none at all, tis the season to show a littl compassion and love to our fellow man.
So to all out there I would like to say "HAPPY HOLIDAYS" and wish all of you ALL THE BEST as life has shown Mike.

[iceman_1960]

It"s Bush"s fault.

[krenz4]

what???!!! nobody here is going to blame this on the Bush Administration???

[motherhen11]

Oh that''s just a bunch of hooey.