“The Smile Train is one of the best humanitarian projects I’ve ever encountered.

The work is real. The results are enduring. The gratification is limitless.

I would encourage anyone who cares about children to support this idea and help make it happen.”

In the early 90s, Tom Brokaw was America’s most popular and respected anchorman and managing editor of the NBC Nightly News, the most-watched news show in America. He was busy man. But somehow, he took the time to read a cold-call letter I sent him asking for his help.

He even said yes to my request.

He graciously agreed to emcee a big black-tie fundraiser Ann Ziff and I were hosting for Operation Smile at the Pierre Hotel in New York City. Tom made the evening spectacular. We raised $1.2 million.

Shortly afterwards, I sent Tom an email that said one of our major donors who was at that black-tie dinner was so impressed with Brokaw, he told us he’d donate $100,000 to Operation Smile if we could talk Tom Brokaw into emceeing a dinner that was honoring him.

At this point I’m sure Tom was beginning to regret the fact that he responded to my letter

But Tom is one of the most generous, selfless, compassionate and philanthropic people I have ever met. he said if we could figure out how to get him there, he would do it.

The problem was the dinner was being held 20 miles outside of New York City on Long Island. And Tom had to read the evening news that night from 6:30 to 7 o’clock. It seemed impossible but $100,000 donation meant the world to us, so we came up with a plan.

The minute the NBC Nightly News ended at 7:00pm I ushered Tom to a waiting limousine downstairs at Rockefeller Center which then whisked us to the East River of Manhattan where a helicopter was waiting. A quick 15-minute helicopter ride followed by 5 minute car ride and we arrived at the dinner at 7:30. New York Governor Pataki and Senator Al D’Amato were among the many VIPs and big shots who were there to honor our major donor who had just donated $25 million to a New York State public university.

As expected, Tom did an incredible job. But he was exhausted. As soon as his job was done, I whisked him out a back door, back to the car, to the helicopter, back to the city where I put him in a car for his ride home.

That was the night I got to know Tom Brokaw. His assistant Erin told me at the beginning of the evening that Tom doesn’t talk much, and I should not bother him. But he talked a lot during our travels, and I talked right back! We had a great conversation.

Of course, I had done a lot of research about him. The more I learned about him the more I liked him. Born in South Dakota, his dad was a construction worker, his Irish American mom was a postal clerk. He was down-to-earth, honest, direct with old fashioned values and tremendous character. I’d want him in my foxhole anytime.

On the way back to New York City he asked me how I knew so much about him! I laughed and told him it was my job. He asked me a lot of questions too which was a little intimidating.

That night we kind of bonded and I could go see him and ask him for help when I needed it. When I came up with the Smile Train idea, he was one of the very first people I went to.

I sat in his office and showed him the photos and told him the concept. He said two words, “It’s brilliant.” Then he helped us in so many ways.

Tom arranged for a Smile Train segment on the Today Show immediately after Hillary Clinton complained about the “vast right-wing conspiracy” which drew a record audience of 6+ million viewers. We received hundreds of phone calls.

He wrote to his good friend Bill Gates and urged him to support the Smile Train and that turned into a $1 million grant.

He introduced us to Candice Bergen. He was such a help to just when we needed it the most.

Tom and his wife Meredith became good friends with my good friend and Smile Train Chairman Ann Ziff so I would see him at a lot of black-tie events and fancy parties. He always was very gracious and wanted to know how Smile Train was doing.

When my former co-founder Charles Wang staged a board-room coup and took over the charity, I went to Tom for advice. He urged me to meet with NBC’s top investigative reporter, Lisa Meyers, who was eager to do a story and wanted to expose everything that Wang was doing.

I was very tempted.

But I knew that an ugly scandal would mean the end of a charity I had just spent almost 15 years building – not to mention it would be the end of 100,000+ cleft surgeries a year. Other media approached me also such as The New York Times, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal but I decided to keep quiet.

As angry as I was with Wang’s misconduct, I didn’t want to blow up the entire charity and there seemed to be no way to expose him without doing that.

I have tremendous respect and admiration for Tom Brokaw. And I will always be grateful for the many ways he helped us get Smile Train up and running.