I was very fortunate to be the first graduate student of Dr. Wingo. When I came to the US in 1987, he picked me up at the Gainesville Regional Airport. I stayed with him and Mrs. Wingo, along with their children Thomas and Linnea, for three nights. I spoke little English and understood little of what other people said in English. I also didn't know much about customs and culture here at that time. All of these factors created many embarrassing moments, but Dr. Wingo's understanding and patience greatly facilitated my adaptation to the new environment. Dr. Wingo set a good example for me with his passion for science and insatiable appetite for acquiring new knowledge. He often came to his office to read and write during weekends, and I frequently joined him in his lab to take care of experiments during weekends as well. These moments provided us with a quiet and uninterrupted time for him to teach me about potassium transport, microperfusion, and renal physiology. Sometimes he took me to a fast-food restaurant I was not familiar with for a quick lunch, and then we would return to continue our work. My last meeting with him was in November of last year in Orlando at the American Society of Nephrology meeting. During the lunch break, we found a quiet spot to discuss topics like possible water secretion in the collecting duct and acute kidney injury, as well as each other's families. He wrote a very enthusiastic recommendation letter for my unsuccessful application to be a member of the American Physiological Society committees. He encouraged me to try again next year. That was on May 4, 2023, and sadly, it was the last time I communicated with him. Nevertheless, his relentless pursuit of excellence, gentle demeanor, and kindness towards others will forever serve as a source of inspiration for me.
