Few people can compare themselves to Mother Teresa. But a neurosurgeon called into medicine by the late missionary says Pope Francis is pretty close when it comes to selflessness. Our Jeff Stensland has the story.
Dr. Mateo Ziu of Austin's Seton Brain and Spine Institute has faith that runs deep.
He grew up in Albania and became entranced by the work of Mother Teresa. Her parents were from Ziu's home country.
He met Mother Teresa in his teens and will never forget her impact.
"She helped me in some way -- I don't know; she never told me to find a scholarship, go to Italy and become a physician," said Ziu.
Today, he's a neurosurgeon.
But he says lessons learned from his time with Mother Teresa and her fellow missionaries are with him every day.
"It is a challenge for me, as well, because I have to live up to her expectations of how she treated people," said Ziu.
Doctor Ziu is among a select group from the Seton Healthcare Family who will get to see Pope Francis in person during his U.S. visit.
"I think he's a person of love not because he is the Pope and I'm Catholic but how he is open and is teaching our faith and how Christ came here and opened the door to everybody," said Ziu.
In many ways, he says this Pope brings back into focus the lessons Mother Teresa gave the world.
"This Pope has talked to everybody like Mother Theresa talked to everybody -- not only to Christians," said Ziu.
This doctor, inspired by Mother Teresa, will get a rare chance to hear from the pontiff in person as Pope Francis visits the country that Ziu has made his life's missionary field.