He survived the procedure once already, making him one of just a small handful of players in history to recover from it.

WSJ: Johan Santana: Another Tear for the Mets

"In the course of our history, only a handful of generations have been asked to confront challenges as serious as the ones we face right now, " he said.

BBC: Obama concert inspires supporters

When the Wachowski Brothers' big-budget debut appeared on screen, it instantly added a handful of iconic moments to cinema history, and has become a major influence.

BBC: Under the Matrix influence

Still, it brings to mind what happened to a handful of other Democratic House members in history who decided to break from their party in their presidential candidate endorsements.

NPR: Thompson Accelerates Pitch to Iowa Voters

Hillary, the second most powerful woman in the world, made history as one of a handful of women to ever run for U.S. president.

FORBES: The World's Most Powerful Couples In 2012

Vice-presidential nominees most often carry their home state, but a handful in recent history haven't, among them Democrats John Edwards of North Carolina in 2004 and Lloyd Bentsen of Texas in 1988, and Republican Jack Kemp of New York in 1996.

WSJ: Ryan Provides Wisconsin Lift but No Guarantee