Throughout life, we are inundated with people that pass through our journey. Friends from childhood become strangers in adulthood. The vast majority, maybe even 99 percent of people that you come in contact with during your journey on this planet are just passersby. Then there are the 0.99 percent that you remain in close contact with. The remaining is a 0.01 percent. Those people are the ones in your circle that make such an impression on you that it makes you want to be around them and hug them and talk for hours on end. Jesse Farrer, to herds of people in Southern Grayson county was in their 0.01 percent.
Farrer was born to Jesse P. and Paula Farrer in 1970 and attended Howe schools. Approaching high school, Farrer was not the biggest, fastest, or strongest as was the motto of Howe Bulldogs Head Coach Jim Fryar at the time. Howe had many really good athletes, although Farrer was not among the purest. But Farrer had one other component that Fryar put above all the other features – Jesse Farrer had the heart of the fiercest lion in the jungle, a championship mentality, and the desire to do everything he could to make his team better. The determination, dedication, and self-sacrifice created a special bond between Farrer and Fryar. While working ferociously to get bigger, faster, and stronger, he suffered numerous knee injuries on the field which would most likely end the football careers of 99.99 percent of players in today’s era. But Farrer was that 0.01 percent that never quit, never loafed, never stopped until the final whistle had sounded. Before all was said and done, Jesse Farrer playing on one leg was better than anyone else that dared try to move ahead of him in the depth chart. The Howe Bulldogs during his three years of varsity were 23-9 with two playoff appearances. At a football banquet, Fryar gave an award to Farrer and told the audience about the obstacles that the often-injured player went through and his overwhelming desire to be on the field and be there for his teammates. That night Fryar told the audience, “I love Jesse Farrer!” After his speech, there was not a dry eye in the room because all had seen the special bond between a coach and his 0.01 percent player.
On Wednesday, current Howe Bulldogs Head Coach Bill Jehling announced that he would not issue Farrer’s jersey number 75 for the 2021 season. Matthew Bearden, who had worn 75 for the past two seasons, will switch to number 60 which was worn by his Bulldog grandfather Jimmie Wormsbaker. Ironically, Wormsbaker’s number 60 was not issued in the 2009 season and is the only other number to have that honor.
Farrer married Brandi Miller in 1994 and proceeded to change his allegiance from Bulldog-land to Tom Cat-land as his daughters began school at Tom Bean ISD. He even served as president of the school board and coached his daughters Abby and Chloe’s youth league sports.
But the constant for Farrer’s life has been his undeniable faith in Jesus Christ. While in Tom Bean, working with the youth of the community, he led many to Christ and served as a mentor to a generation of young people. Finding that his calling in life, after a long career working for Grayson County, Farrer took a leap of faith and retired at a young age and began his ministry full-time at Community Bible Fellowship as the associate pastor. It was there that his mission began play to out.
Just as the worst year of all-time began, on January 8, 2020, Farrer went to Parkland Hospital in Dallas to begin treatments for cancer that was found during a PET scan that day. They also found a spot on his lungs and his bones. But just as the Jesse Farrer that Coach Fryar knew and loved, the fighter came out in him and he told his church members not to worry that God was in control and that “It’s Gonna Be OK” which became the battle cry for Jesse’s fight through cancer. Soon after, t-shirts were made by Community Bible Fellowship church members that were sold to raise money. A fundraiser was held in Tom Bean that reminded one of the movie It’s a Wonderful Life where a $5 BBQ and auction raised over $40,000.
No doctor, no nurse, no disease ever met a fighter like Jesse Farrer. But after a year of battling the disease and making great strides, he received bad news on March 3 of this year. The cancer had been seen on his spleen and in his lymph nodes.
“We’ve got some problems but we’re going to work through that,” said Farrer in a Facebook video posted that day. “We’re going to Houston on Monday and we’re going to move forward. I know the Lord’s got it no matter what. I’ve been told I was a miracle that I should have been gone a year ago. I see this stuff and what He does, and it doesn’t always end like I want it to. I’d like to go back to normal. I’ve been on chemo since February 2 last year and radiation.”
During the video, an emotional Farrer admitted to being tired and then thanked the Lord for the cancer.
“It’s hard to thank Him for it,” said Farrer. “But it’s not because it’s brought me so much closer to Him. And guess what, it’s brought a lot of other people closer to Him too. So, He’s used it and what’s better than being used by the Lord, right? If He’ll use something that I’m going to through to help somebody else or somebody get closer to Him then it’s all been worth it, amen. This ain’t about me, this ain’t about you – this is all about Him and His glory.”
In a later video he shared on March 19, he stressed the importance of friendship in his life and said the Lord has blessed him with so many friends. He talked about the fundraiser and that he was overwhelmed by the love and that the best part of the night was getting to see all the people although he only was able to visit with a fraction of them.
“I feel blessed beyond all measure,” said Farrer as he closed with Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
Weak and barely able to get around, Farrer would not be denied a final moment on the field as his daughter had “Senior Night” for the Tom Bean Lady Cats. He made it on the field for that moment and just like as a young Bulldog wearing the number 75, he left it all there. A few hours later, he passed away.
Jesse Farrer was a friend to many and in many people’s 0.01 percent.
