American epidemiologist William "Bill" H. Foege (1936–2026) died on January 24, 2026.[1][2] He was a mentor to many committed to global health, and his death is an occasion to celebrate compassion, the power of scientific research, tenacity and optimism.[from content] David Heymann, professor of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, had him as the first boss in the eradication of smallpox in India in the 1970s, and credits his wisdom, sense of humor and dedication.[from content] Foege developed the "ring containment" strategy, which after smallpox case identification was vaccinating the neighborhood of contacts, which was key to the eradication of smallpox in 1980.[1][2] He served as director of the CDC from 1977 to 1983, co-founder of the Task Force for Global Health, and executive director of the Carter Center from 1986 to 1992.[2] He contributed to programs to eradicate guinea-worm, river blindness and malaria.[2]