The Great Read: He Wanted to Be John Travolta. Instead, He Became ‘Kaves.’
As a child, Michael McLeer wanted to be like John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever” and escape Brooklyn. A tragedy in the neighborhood changed his mind.
The New York Times
The Great Read
July 15, 2026, 3:25 p.m. Eastern time

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He Wanted to Be John Travolta. Instead, He Became ‘Kaves.’

As a child, Michael McLeer wanted to be like John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever” and escape Brooklyn. A tragedy in the neighborhood changed his mind.

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