His life mission “to be a character with character”
written by Kenny Lao
What comes to my mind as I think about Dr. Brad Farris as the J Lawton Smith Award recipient?
I think about how much I cherish my mentor, my teacher, and my friend during that tremendous 1-year fellowship. I miss the whipped cream in a freshly Keurig-brewed cup of breakfast blend, his custom Nike kicks, the gentle sarcasm and soothing mockery “you are killing me” as I’m trying to close the conjunctiva with my non-dominant hand while listening to his eclectic OR playlist with K-pop to opera to Pitbull, the sigh of relief and a slowing of the pulse that follows the liberation of clear fluid from the optic nerve dural sheath, our short trips to a Kitchen-324 gourmet brunch or a savory large bowl of Vietnamese pho noodle soup in his fully-loaded BMW X5 M, staffing Thunder games in hopes KD will catch a finger to the eye and require our much-needed expertise, sharing sauteed Sichuan locusts and rural Chinese turtle soup while watching his dream of a Chinese Eye Institute come to fruition, and watching him fiddle with the latest electronic gadgets while wearing his Friday-only stylish skinny jeans and high-end boots. I will always remember the relentless devotion to his bride, and above all, how he has modeled for us all a life of faith in our Maker.
I’m thankful I could spend a year with Dr. Farris — a man who has successfully fulfilled his life mission — “To be a character with character.”
