I look forward to reading the books (there are two) about Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel z'l because the articles that I've read about him have been so inspirational.
He suffered tremendously from Parkinson's and yet, when he was asked by someone who had suffered a number of tragedies how he learned mitoch yissurim (amidst suffering), R' Finkel answered, "I don't learn mitoch yissurim. I learn mitoch simcha!"
The way he pushed himself, beyond what anybody in his physical condition would dream of doing, is just amazing. And of course, he pushed himself for Torah, in order to give a shiur, to fundraise, to interact with the talmidim. Also appealing is that he was an American gadol (albeit transplanted in Israel), someone who grew up as a regular American Jewish dayschool kid. He sounds like someone we can relate to.
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Rabbi Finkel felt that physical suffering was not as difficult as spiritual suffering. The soul suffers more than the body. When he would go on fund raising trips, and there was a choice between an appointment with someone who could help Mir yeshiva or going to a specialist who could help him, he went to see the donor.
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