The Harvard Varsity Club is preparing to support Benson “Ben” Abercrombie’s recovery for the seventh year with events the Cambridge community can participate in.
In Harvard’s first football game of the 2017 season, the team’s starter was injured, leaving him unable to play. Then the backup was injured. That left Abercrombie, a first-year student who’d just completed the team’s summer training, to suit up in his crimson uniform for a singular honor that recognized his skill and tenacity on the field: to compete among juniors and seniors.
He collapsed to the ground during a tackle just minutes into the game, having sustained a severe spinal cord injury instantly that left him with permanently limited mobility.
Meredith Adamczyk, a marketing director with the Harvard Varsity Club, said Abercrombie had had a “long and arduous recovery” but has made significant progress in rehab treatments and intensive recovery programs.
Abercrombie’s teammates and the Harvard Varsity Club have hosted fundraising events annually to help pay for his recovery. This year marks the seventh Ben Abercrombie Day, doubling as a celebration: Abercrombie is on track to graduate, hoping to become a financial adviser for athletes.
As he completes his Harvard education since returning to campus in 2019, Abercrombie spends his day on campus near the football field, cheering with the crowd. “There’s something about Ben’s unwillingness to be deterred in the face of this insane challenge. There’s something about that fight that’s really infectious, and that causes people to tune in and want to support him, because it’s inspiring,” said Matthew Farber, a sophomore when Abercrombie joined Harvard’s football team.
“He’s super strong-willed, super courageous and doesn’t take no for an answer. He’s been working his tail off to get to the best place that he can be,” Adamczyk said.
The Benson M. Abercrombie ’21 Endowment Fund, created shortly after the injury, covers a large chunk of the rehab costs and transportation, including his flights from his home state of Alabama to Massachusetts.
This year’s goal is to raise $1 million to help Abercrombie and have funds available if another athlete faces a serious injury. The Massachusetts community can support Ben Abercrombie by completing a 3.2-mile run or making a purchase at El Jefe’s Taqueria in Harvard Square on Dec. 10.
“I can definitely feel and see the support from everybody. That’s meaningful for my family,” Abercrombie said.
Running for a cause
Abercrombie’s injury “rocked the team to its core,” Farber said. Once the shock wore off, the team focused on supporting their teammates’ recovery.
Ray Shawn, a senior on the team at the time, starting hosting fundraisers with a bowling event in Boston in 2018.
When in-person gatherings paused during the Covid pandemic, Farber presented Shawn with an idea for a virtual event. Approximately 500 people signed up to run 3.2 miles and donate to the cause – the length of the run commemorating the “32” Abercrombie wore on his player’s jersey. Those who signed up donated 32 dollars to the cause and sent a photo of themselves on the run.
The fundraiser continues annually, from the week before the Harvard vs. Yale Football game until Thanksgiving.
El Jefe’s on Dec. 10
Martin Abercrombie recalled the first Ben Abercrombie Day, which took place while his son was in rehab, away from Cambridge. His teammates FaceTimed him from the Harvard Square eatery El Jefe’s Taqueria, which was hosting a fundraiser, to show him the turnout. John Schall, the restaurant’s owner, appeared in the frame with a huge smile.
Schall said Abercrombie’s story touches him, and he wants to use his resources to support his recovery. On Dec. 10, every penny made by El Jefe’s will go to the Abercrombie Endowment Fund, Schall said. He’s trying to “do it bigger” this year, raising $40,000 by serving 2,500 customers.
Harvard football players past and present volunteer eagerly to hang posters, entertain guests and pick up shifts at El Jefe’s.
“When tragedy strikes, people are able to think beyond themselves and get off their phones for a day and really come out to show support for somebody that truly, truly needs it. And this is really just a testament to the Harvard community,” Adamczyk said.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.