Mina, I can’t believe that you are gone. Ever since you were my Chief Resident at Doheny, I always felt a special connection, probably because you were such a good listener, quietly empathetic, and often ended with a big smile and hearty laugh. My co-residents and I found so many “Mina-isms” over the years. From “Is this going to turn out the way when you took call for a week in a row?” to “You did a great job, but the consequence of XX decision…” Later, we would seem to find each other at the meetings, sit in the back, and try to guess the next slide for new talks. At work, you seemed like a perfectionist, always reaching for a higher standard, but, personally, I think it was more of an appreciation for the best.
There seemed to be no detail too small that could not be done with excellence. I remember making pancakes at Ron Smith’s lake house using your exacting recipe and enjoying the fluffiest pancakes ever. Another time, we drove from one farmer’s stand to the next to get the best peaches, heirloom tomatoes, etc., and came back empty-handed of corn because none matched your exacting standards. Then, there was the espresso machine that you researched and used to make incredible cups of coffee. In each instance, you told me the what and why of your decisions and I felt smarter for it.
I am going to miss you for all of experiences we had, life lessons learned, and experiences we would have had. You gave so much to all of us, helping so many lives, pushing the boundaries of your research, and sticking to your principles. You really were the Best of the Best.