Book excerpt: This project is posthumously dedicated to Dr. Gregory Dana Bossart. Whether you knew him as colleague, mentor, friend, family member or simply ‘knew of him’, you could not help but be awestruck by his dedication, intelligence, thoughtfulness, work ethic and passion for scientific inquiry, especially for conservation of the marine environment Many of his publications were seminal in marine mammal health, including infectious, environmental and zoonotic diseases. As we collected manuscripts for this special Frontiers edition, it was heartwarming to hear the comments from contributors. So many research scientists, field biologists and veterinarians could easily have given up and said, ‘I just can’t do this now’, especially with the added challenges posed by the current COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, contributors from around the world were determined to contribute to this collection because of their inspiration and shared commitment with Greg’s vision. The love and admiration within the marine community for Greg is phenomenal. With that said, we would be remiss if we did not say a few words about Greg as a mentor and friend. Greg had a knack for helping students realize their abilities and pursue their own independent contributions to the marine mammal community. He shared in their successes and worked tirelessly to facilitate their aspirations. Greg would involve students, early-career scientists and colleagues in projects, introduce them to collaborators and promote them and their work. Greg was a genuinely caring person. When he asked you ‘how are you doing’, he honestly wanted to know. He was always there, ready to listen and provide guidance. If you were to ask Greg what was most important to him in life, he would say God, family and marine life (and one could argue that he had a special fondness for manatees). He believed in the beauty of nature and that God had a hand in all of it. He was in pursuit of ensuring that we all share this earth responsibly and sustainably. We miss Greg dearly, but honor and celebrate him as we carry on in our pursuits.