Al and I started working together on Wednesday 1st August 2007 as FY1s in cardiology at RIE. We actually met the week before when shadowing but we were let loose as doctors on 1st August. Come 5pm that day I was given the on call bleep and the other junior doctors all got to leave…..I was petrified and (jokingly) begged them all to stay and help me. Al, being Al, offered to stay with me. I’ll never forget that. He was super smart, kind, patient and always keen to teach. I’ve loved working alongside him again over the last few years, having a friend on the floor made some hard shifts easier. We kept saying we would meet up after COVID so he could share a whisky with my husband and I’m so sad this won’t happen now. I will miss Al as a friend and a colleague. Laura xx