Remembering Dr. Ed Farrar: Thanks for teaching us about the importance of community and helping each other
Dr. Ed Farrar, the Wenatchee orthopedic surgeon who suffered a devastating spinal injury in 2008 and then reinvented his life to continue practicing medicine, be physically active and contribute to the community, died Tuesday, March 8.
Ed taught us important life lessons about resilience, living life with no limits and the vital importance of community — both in terms of contributing to the community and also in accepting the help of others. Ed had the unwavering support of his “B Team,” enabling him to ride his handcycle around the loop countless times.
Prior to the accident, Ed was quite an athlete. He was an accomplished rock climber who ascended peaks in Asia, an avid cyclist and an all-around outdoorsman. He was the father of two sons, Tyler and Fletcher.
The first person in the valley that got to know Ed was Dr. Fred Deal, his long-time partner in Wenatchee Orthopaedics. Deal marveled at Ed’s brilliant mind and interest in what was happening in the world, particularly the environment and climate change. The two of them jokingly referred to Wenatchee Orthopaedics as Fred and Ed’s Body Shop, and once posed for a picture wearing coveralls.
Fellow surgeon and Wenatchee Orthopaedics associate Dr. Mark Broberg said Ed was the primary reason that he chose to practice in the valley. Ed’s magnetic personality was an important draw for Broberg.
Ed’s globe trotting in search of mountains to climb came to an end with the accident and his life was altered, but his indomitable spirit and zest for life pushed him to extract every last ounce of each experience. He epitomized the words of Teddy Roosevelt: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
His attention became laser focused on how he could make a difference in the local community. This took the form of his ongoing support of Wenatchee Valley Velo, the cycling club that put on an annual spring stage race, supporting local concerts at Ohme Gardens, and, most notably, his enormous contributions to the Confluence Health Foundation.
Perhaps his single greatest contribution was introducing the Exoskeleton robotic device to the Wenatchee Valley. His personal physician, Dr. Peter Rutherford, remembered Ed’s eyes lighting up when talking about how the device helped him walk and allowed him to see people at eye level rather than navel level. The impact on his mental health inspired him to suggest purchasing a device and letting spinal cord patients, those with strokes and other conditions be able to use it.
I will never forget the evening in 2015 when, as a recipient of the Spirit of AZ Wells Award, the paralyzed Ed walked into the gala with the help of the device and gave a riveting address filled with hope and inspiration. You could have heard a pin drop during his speech and by the end, there was scarcely a dry eye in the house.
That talk was devoted to celebrating the power of community. “The truth is that life would be much harder without the community that we have here, for I have learned that people are more important than place,” Ed said at the time.
Ed loved being around people, Broberg remembered. Up to his last days, you could find Ed and his “B Team” at Pybus Market for lunch. Ed often treated them because of his gratitude for their help in allowing him to experience life on his own terms.
Ed, in the last few months of his life, had been in constant pain, due to degeneration in his shoulder and his lower lumbar area, according to his friends. Everyone familiar with the situation feels he is in a far better place now — no longer in pain.
Dr. Ed Farrar lived life on his terms and both contributed to the community and accepted help from community members. He taught us powerful lessons about the value of community. Rest in peace, Ed.
