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Terry Farrell Tribute

Sep 16, 2019 ~ Author Surfing Medicine Staff
Terry Farrell
Terry Farrell

It is with much sadness that we write this tribute to SMA member and surf doctor extraordinaire, Terry Farrell, DO, who died unexpectedly while mountain biking near his home in Maine on September 22, 2018 at age 61.

Terry was an emergency physician in York, ME and was an avid surfer, swimmer, and boater. Though he picked up the surfing later in life (mid-40’s), when the bug hit, it hit hard. Aside from surfing, Dr. Farrell also enjoyed the challenges presented by wilderness medicine and gained experience and skill in this area through his time in the Army and as an outdoorsman in Maine. He successfully wed these two interests by volunteering as medical staff at a number of surfing contests, first as Trestles, and then at Pipeline, gaining significant experience at those contests. He honed his expertise by attending surf-medicine conferences in Europe via the EASD, and in the US via the SMA. Via a fortuitous family connection, Terry then landed a plumb job as medical director for the WSL, travelling around the world with pro-tour – Dr. to the surf-stars. When the Big Wave Tour became formalized, he felt his skills would best be deployed in the high-risk arena of big-wave surfing. Terry enjoyed spending time with the hardy breed of surfers attracted to XXL surf and enjoyed the challenge of providing medical care in extreme environments such as Punta Lobos, Chile, Jaws, Nazare’, and Cloudbreak. He set the bar high with regards to providing medical back-up at surf contests. His organizational skills, professionalism, and medical knowledge greatly advanced the field of surfing medicine.

Dr. Farrell also had an academic interest in surfing injuries and began collecting data on the big-wave tour. See Dr Farrell’s article in the 2018 edition of SM“Big wave surfing: a physician’s perspective” [link to that 2018 article] for more details. He found that most big-wave injuries were from hydraulic forces as opposed to contact with the sea-floor or from surfboards, as is the case in smaller waves, and that a disproportionate number of injuries were to the leashed leg from high tension during a fall. He also was in the midst of studying the so-called “shaken-surfer” syndrome – where surfers exhibit concussion-like symptoms after big-wave wipeouts – before his untimely death.

Those of us who had the good fortune to spend time with Terry knew what a solid, enthusiastic guy he was, always a pleasure to be around. He was vigorous, a great family man, and despite the fact that he was a spitting image of Clint Eastwood, he was humble. 

Clay Everline writes: “Terry was a good man who brought a lot of professionalism to the organized Surf Medicine. He often traveled out of his own pocket and was always a positive character to be around. It was a sincere pleasure to have several dinners with him in Maui, Portugal and even flew out to Help salvage a conference in San Clemente at Dr. Norm Vinn’s house. He was a great family man and he left us too soon.

From Spencer Chang: “Terry was an amazing man. I do miss him and think about him especially as we’re getting closer to Pipe.

Aloha”

Terry, Leland, and Spencer
(L to R) Terry, Leland, and Spencer

Leland Dao writes: “Terry will be truly missed from the Pipe Masters Medical Team, we appreciate all of the contributions you made to the WSL and surfers everywhere.  May the waves always be breaking for you, Aloha!”

Terry leaves behind his wife, Lisa, and a son and daughter. A paddle-out and bonfire in his honor was held shortly after his death at his home break, Gooch’s Beach in Kennebunk, ME.

Terry (R), and Andrew
(L to R) Andrew and Terry
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Summer 2018 Issue #31 Table of Contents

  • Letter from the Editor
  • No Other Options (a true story)
  • Big Wave Surfing: A physician’s perspective
  • Origins of the Paddle Out Ceremony
  • Case Report: 63 y.o. male surfer “found down”
  • What Happened to Zika?
  • Orthopedic Injuries in Professional Surfers: A Retrospective Study at a Single Orthopedic Center

Summer/Fall 2017 Issue #30 Table of Contents

  • Letter from the Editor
  • Don’t Eat the Fish!
  • A Surfing Life
  • The SMA Barefoot Doctor Course
  • The Surfer Health Study
  • Terry Farrell Interview
  • Case Report: Eye Trauma from a Surfboard

Summer 2016 Issue #29 Table of Contents

  • Letter from the Editor
  • Catching Waves: Perspectives of Physicians Who Surf
  • Should you Frika about Zika?
  • Case Report: A 29-Year-Old Female Surfer with a Thigh Laceration
  • Case Report: Central Cord Syndrome in a Bodyboarder
  • Images from Surfing Medicine
  • Druku’s Life
  • Druku: SMA Remembers a Great Man
  • SMA Conference Report – Nicaragua 2016

Summer 2015 Issue #28 Table of Contents

  • Letter from the Editor: Surfing Medicine to the Extreme
  • Sun Protection for Surfers
  • Cold Water Surfing and Hypothermia
  • 2013 Triple Crown + HIC Pro Injury Report
  • Wanna pee on my Wana? Sea Urchin Injuries, a Literature Review
  • Larger Than Life, Don James, MD
  • Granny and Doc
  • SMA Nicaragua Conference Report, May 28 – June 4, 2015

Winter 2014-15 Issue #27 Table of Contents

  • Letter from the Editor
  • Beware the Devil Fish – “Don’t tread on me”
  • SURF: A Unified Surfing Competition Medical Reference Form
  • Surf Stronger, Paddle Longer
  • Sea Ulcers
  • The SMA Scholarship Program
  • Tavi 2014 Summary
  • ASLS Portugal Conference

Fall 2013 Issue #26 Table of Contents

  • A Message from the (new) Editor
  • Case Report: A Nicaraguan Stowaway
  • Knee Injuries in the Barrel: How Heavy and Deep Can You Go?
  • Concussions in Surfers
  • Surfer’s Ear – The Bane of Cold Water Surfers
  • Surfing Injuries – Literature Review
  • Keeping the Stoke: Dealing with Declining Competence in the Aging Surfer
  • Helping Vets to Feel the Healing Waters

Fall 2019 Issue #32 Table of Contents

  • Letter from the Editor
  • Surfing Injuries at the Pipe Masters 2013-2017
  • A Non-Healing Surf-Wound
  • Images in Surfing Medicine
  • Terry Farrell Tribute
  • Surfing USA, a Literature Review
  • The Baker: Archives of the SMA

Fall 2020 Issue #33 Table of Contents

  • Letter from the Editor
  • In the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Should Surfers Continue to Surf?
  • Improving Safety in Surfing
  • Case Report: Widespread Pruritic Papules after Bodyboarding in Long Island
  • Case Report: Severe Fin Laceration
  • Tourniquets and Hemorrhage Control

Fall 2022 Issue #35 Table of Contents

  • Message from the Editor, 2022
  • Life Rolls On
  • Beware the Leash: Seymour Fracture of the Finger
  • Bill Jones Ph.D, in Memoria
  • The Old Man and the Sea: Video on Surfiatrics from the 2022 World Congress on Extreme Sports Medicine
  • Common Surfing Injuries: Video on Surfing Injuries from the 2022 World Congress on Extreme Sports Medicine
  • Images in Surf Medicine
  • Literature Review: Is Surfer’s myelopathy an acute hyperextension-induced myelopathy? A systematic synthesis of case studies and proposed diagnostic criteria.
  • 2022 Magdalena Bay Conference Report

Fall 2021 Issue #34 Table of Contents

  • Letter from the Editor
  • Impact of SMA Conferences on Wellbeing
  • Surfing and Health in the Covid-19 Era: A Narrative Review
  • Case Report: Femur Fracture in a Kitesurfer
  • Images in Surfing Medicine
  • Characteristics of Surfers as Bystander Rescuers in Europe
  • Acute Injuries in Surfing: A Systematic Review
  • Mag Bay 2021

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