Popular sports columnist Mitch Albom has found success in his occupation, but emotionally and spiritually he is bankrupt. While watching television one night, he comes across an episode of the news show Nightline and learns that his former university professor Morrie Schwartz is battling A.L.S. -- better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. At first, Mitch is reluctant to pay his former mentor a visit, since, at his graduation ceremony, Mitch promised to remain in contact with Morrie but failed to make good on that promise. Mitch eventually overcomes his uneasiness and, to his surprise, finds a very warm welcome from Morrie. Nourished by just one visit, Mitch returns successive Tuesdays for those most important lessons which friendship and a life well-lived can teach. The two begin to discuss the issues of happiness, life, and death, and they soon begin to meet on a weekly basis as Mitch reassumes the role of Morrie's student.