The heart-warming message from some old friends for his birthday saw comedian and TV presenter Steve Harvey breakdown live on television, as the surprise overwhelmed him.

Harvey's producer Alex let him know of the surprise by cutting away from him to a satellite call to Florida. Joking that he'd "said no surprises" but upon seeing his old friend Rich Lister he was rendered silent by shock. "Hi Steve, this is Rich Lister from Orlando, Florida and I called ya to wish ya a Happy Birthday and ask you one question," he said, "Do you still love me?" Harvey then broke down in tears, responding "I love you man!" 

Harvey explained why he reacted so strongly to the pair: "I didn't have nothing... and they took me in... When I became a comedian at 27 I didn't have no money for travel, so they set me up with an account at their travel company... And man, I ran up a bill like $11,000. I was just trying to travel and make it." He said, following later with "Now I got money!" Then he said that he was going to send a plane to them to fly them into the show, letting them know that he had never forgotten them and that he had been looking for them for years. Since their kindness Harvey has become one of America's most TV show presenters, has published books and is considered one of the Kings of Comedy. 

Here's Steve Harvey breaking down at the sight of his two friends: