LAUSR

I was deeply saddened to learn about the passing of mymentor and one of the founders of craniofacial surgery, Professor Ian Thomas Jackson. He died peacefully at his home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA, on Sunday, 2nd August 2020. Although I knew he was ill suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, his departure was really shocking. Ian T. Jackson was a great surgeon and an even better person. I first met him in person during theXXXVII Brazilian Congress of Plastic Surgery held in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in November 2000. There, he delivered a truemaster class entitled “My own history of plastic surgery,” which resulted in a true inspiration to me as a senior resident finishing his training under Professor Ivo Pitanguy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [1]. Although I already knew his wonderful work, having the opportunity to meet him in person was a life-changing experience for me. A few years later, he chose me to work alongside him at the European Journal of Plastic Surgery, first as a Board Member, and later as an Editor-in-Chief, sharing the position with him. I am truly indebted to him. My youngest son is named Ian, after him. I also paid a tribute to him in the preface of my recently launched book on breast reconstruction [2]. Ian T. Jackson was born in Glasgow, UK, in 1934. He graduated from the University of Glasgow School of Medicine in 1959 and became a consultant plastic surgeon in 1968. Working at the world-renowned Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit in Glasgow, he became known for his innovative approaches and techniques in craniomaxillofacial surgery. In 1979, Ian T. Jackson moved to Rochester, MN, USA, where he was appointed Head of the Plastic Surgery Section at the Mayo Clinic (Fig. 1). He loved teaching, and there, he instituted both a Research Fellowship and Clinical Fellowship that attracted surgeons from all around the world. In 1985, he published the book Local Flaps in Head and Neck Reconstruction, which still remains a source of consultation for trainees and plastic surgeons [3]. In 1986, he became the Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Plastic Surgery, previously named Chirurgia Plastica [4]. During his entire career, he published over 400 articles in the most respected international surgical journals. He was well-known for pushing the boundaries of craniofacial surgery to better the lives of his patients. In 1989, he moved to Southfield, MI, USA, and founded the Craniofacial Institute at Providence Hospital, now renamed as the Ian