Statement from President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton on the Passing Of Dr. Paul Farmer

Chelsea, Hillary, and I are devastated by the sudden passing of our dear friend Dr. Paul Farmer.

Paul was one of the most extraordinary people we have ever known. His pioneering work with Partners In Health touched millions of lives, advanced global health equity, and fundamentally changed the way health care is delivered in the most impoverished places on Earth.  He was brilliant, passionate, kind, and humble.  He saw every day as a new opportunity to teach, learn, give, and serve—and it was impossible to spend any amount of time with him and not feel the same.

Our family is profoundly grateful to have benefited from his many gifts for more than 20 years, going back to the time Chelsea read his work at Stanford, reached out to him, and gained his mentorship and friendship. We are forever honored to have worked closely with him in Haiti, Rwanda, and beyond; to serve alongside him on the board of the Clinton Health Access Initiative; and to be counted among his multitude of friends around the globe.

Paul’s passing is an immense loss to the world, but we know his spirit will live on through the incredible work of Partners In Health and all its partners, the many people who were inspired, as we were, by his example, and everyone who is living a healthier life today because he lived and served.

Our thoughts are with Paul’s wife, Didi; their children, Catherine, Elisabeth, and Sebastian; his mother, Ginny; his entire family; and all the people who worked with him, learned with him, served with him, and loved him.