After his ninth heart surgery, 70-year-old Andy Mackie's doctors had him on 15 different medicines. But the side effects made life miserable. So one day he quit taking all 15 and decided to spend his final days doing something he always wanted to do.

He used the money he would have spent on the prescriptions to give away 300 harmonicas, with lessons included. "I really thought it was the last thing I could ever do," he says.

And when he didn't die the next month, he bought a few hundred more.

It's now 11 years and 13,000 harmonicas later. Music has lengthened his life and brought it real meaning. He's even taught the older kids to teach the younger ones, and continue his teaching legacy.

This story shows that improved health can result from your choice of attitude and a commitment to following your passion. WATCH the video below, or read the story at CBS … (The story aired last year, but its inspirational value is timeless.)