Injured Marblehead Graduate Meets U.S. Secretary of State in the Hospital

Photos: Ben Farrar’s Status page on Facebook

Ben Farrar had barely made it back to the United States before he was hosting a top U.S. politician in his hotel room.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stopped by Farrar’s room at Massachusetts General Hospital last week to share words of encouragement with the recent Marblehead High School graduate who was recovering at the hospital after an April accident in France.

Kerry was being treated at MGH for injuries he sustained in a late May cycling accident in France.

“Such power of social media where a tragic experience of a high school student in France brings about the visit of a Secretary of State of the United States of America who was also hurt in France!” the post reads.

The administrator of the “Ben Farrar’s Status” page on Facebook explained that a friend who had been following Farrar’s updates on Facebook had a connection to a Kerry staff member and pointed out that both men had been injured in France and were then both at MGH. A short time later, Kerry requested a visit with Farrar.

“Mr. Kerry was all class during his visit,” a post on the Facebook page reads. “He was honorable, humble and shared words of encouragement for Ben’s continued fight and healing which we greatly appreciate.”

Farrar was on school trip in Cannes on April 19 when he dove into shallow water, fracturing one of his vertebrae and damaging his spinal cord. The injury paralyzed Farrar and caused him to inhale dangerous amounts of sea water before he was pulled from the water. He spent the next six-and-a-half weeks in a Nice, France, hospital until he was strong and stable enough to be transferred to MGH in Boston, which took place June 3.

Since Kerry’s visit, Farrar has moved to Spaulding Rehabilitation Center in Charlestown and his family is preparing for him to come home soon.

Palmer’s Restaurant in Marblehead will hold a homecoming celebration fundraiser on Monday, June 22 a 6 p.m. All monies from select wine and beer sales as well as raffle ticket sales will go to the Farrar family to help cover medical costs.