Dr. Anthony Fauci became the public face of the United States government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic – a role he describes as "communicator in chief." Many hail him as a hero for his leadership during that time. But some others have cast him as a villain, leading to public and political attacks. Since stepping down from his decades-long role as a public health official and chief medical advisor to the president, he's now reflecting on his frontline scientific career from the AIDS crisis to COVID. Through it all, he tells Piya Chattopadhyay, the benefits of pursuing public health and public service have outweighed the negatives.