It has been well over a year since the SARS-CoV-2 virus entered the United States and began taking lives at a rapid rate. Today, it has merely been one week since Dr. Anthony Fauci's personal emails from last spring — during the height of the pandemic — were released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Fauci's emails included exchanges with doctors, colleagues, and the United States Army. Let us dive into them.

Who is Dr. Fauci?

In 1940, Anthony Fauci was brought into this world — into Brooklyn, to be exact — as the son of first-generation Italian parents. From a young age, he enjoyed playing team sports such as basketball and baseball.

From there, he went on to study at Cornell's medical school, graduating in 1966. Two years later, he began working for the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). In 1984, he became the director of NIAID under President Reagan, where to this day, he continues to serve as acting director.

When the coronavirus hit the States in 2020, Fauci became the chief medical advisor to former President Trump, and he remains the medical advisor to President Biden.

What do the newly released emails say?

On June 2, 2021, Dr. Fauci's emails from the early months of the pandemic were obtained by the Washington Post, Buzzfeed, and CNN via a FOIA request.

The Freedom of Information Act is a federal law, dating back to 1967, that allows any citizen to gain access to information within federal agencies, NIAID being one of them. Its purpose is to ensure that governmental leaders avoid corruption, and to ensure that democracy remains ingrained in society.

There are instances where federal information may not be released, due to certain exemptions. Fauci's emails were not exempt, however.

The newly released emails demonstrate how members of the public looked to him during times of crisis, as well as the immense pressure he was placed under.

A huge inbox

In a recent interview with the Washington Post, Dr. Fauci described how he was receiving up to one thousand emails per day, from those in positions of power both nationally and internationally, from doctors and medical staff, and from everyday citizens. As overwhelming as that sounds, Fauci ran with it, responding to as many as he possibly could, sometimes staying up until 2 a.m.

"I have a reputation that I respond to people when they ask for help, even if it takes a long time. It's very time consuming, but I do," said Fauci in the interview.

"I genuflect to no one but science."

To many, Dr. Fauci has been the person to look and listen to, particularly when our federal government remained so inactive for so long. Former President Trump also attempted to minimize the gravity of the coronavirus (in addition to misinforming the public), which resulted in increased pressure on Dr. Fauci.

On March 8, 2020, Yale University epidemiologist and AIDS activist Gregg Gonsalves sent an email to Fauci describing how "there are thousands of people waiting for advice from our federal government on broader social distancing measures, in light of the fact that our failure in early testing and surveillance means the coronavirus is likely already spreading in our communities." He added, "All we see is genuflection in word and deed from most of you to a White House that wants this all to magically go away."

A couple of hours later, Fauci responded by saying, "Gregg: I am surprised that you included me in your note. I genuflect to no one but science and always, always speak my mind when it comes to public health. I have consistently corrected misstatements by others and will continue to do so."

Fauci never outright denounced Trump by saying something along the lines of "Our current president is lying to you all about the severity of this virus!" but he did continue to stand his ground and stick up for science: he repeatedly stressed the importance of mask wearing, hand washing, and physical distancing, and even advised Americans to engage in more outdoor activities.

No fan of stardom

When Fauci's face began hitting the screen during White House press conferences, many Americans were quick to fawn over him. It got to the point where on March 31, 2020, a colleague sent Fauci an email with an article from the Washington Post with the headline: "Fauci socks, Fauci doughnuts, Fauci fan art: The coronavirus expert attracts a cult following." Fauci responded to his colleague's email, stating, "Truly surrealistic. Hopefully, this all stops soon."

Trump's mixed messaging even confused the Army

Back on April 14, 2020, a senior official in the Office of the Surgeon General of the US Army Medical Command, whose name has been redacted, sent Fauci an email saying, "You are the voice of reason for millions of concerned citizens. I have a few questions for you." The individual went on to inquire about areas of concern, such as if COVID could be contracted from a corpse, if masks and gloves are truly effective, and finally, "What keeps you up at night, regarding COVID-19?"

Fauci responded to the email, saying, "I have said in the past that what keeps me up at night is the possibility of a pandemic respiratory infection. We are in that now, and what keeps me up at night is the response, a major part of which is the development of an effective vaccine and treatments for COVID-19."

A pioneer for the community

With the world changing so fast, it can be easy to forget all about the past, and simply focus on the present. The COVID-19 pandemic shares several parallels with the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which dates back to the 1980s. And guess what? Dr. Anthony Fauci was at the forefront of that effort too.

Forty years ago, Fauci was one of the first to develop an understanding of how HIV/AIDS attacked and destroyed the body. He was eventually able to gain the trust of activists, after again, another period of federal government inaction while people were dying.

Furthermore, Fauci was also able to increase funding for HIV research, which helped lead to astonishing medical treatments for those living with the virus today.

If there is anything that can be said about Dr. Fauci, it is that everything he does, he does for people. He has dedicated his entire life to science, fighting for American lives, no matter the circumstance. He has also always stuck up for what he believes in.

Finally, it is safe to say that Dr. Fauci filled the shoes of a hero, time and time again, when America desperately needed one the most.