Tony Cointreau grew up in the wealthy Cointreau liqueur family, but it was in volunteering at Gift of Love, Mother Teresa's hospice for those dying from AIDS in New York City, that he found a way to fulfill his deeply felt need to be of service. In the long friendship he developed with Mother Teresa, she became like another mother to him, spending precious private time with him when she was in New York or he was volunteering at her Home for the Dying in Calcutta.
For twelve years Tony worked long hours at Gift of Love, helping to care for more than 100 people who died of AIDS. He was often there several days a week, assisting with cleaning, cooking, and other tasks. Also, as a singer with a successful career, he discovered that singing to the dying men was as important in comforting them as was the rest of his work. He paid close attention to anything that a patient might need, from a song to bathing them.
Many of the patients were young, and Tony came to think of them as his "kids." But as he often says, "I loved them all, and I lost them all."
In this book, Tony details how "his kids" were cared for in Mother Teresa's hospice in such a way that despite the inevitable outcome in those days, both he and they found peace, joy, even laughter and hope.
A Gift of Love is an inspiring and uplifting book, not just for caregivers but for everyone.
