Page 48 - Robeson Living Spring 2020

Three of Dr. Hardin’s children, along with their spouses, pose with his portrait. From left, Patricia and Adam Hardin,
Christie and Spencer Brantley, and Alicia and Carlton Mansfield.

SeHealth unveils Dr. Ben Hardin portrait

The late Dr. Ben Hardin was remembered and honored recently an interventional cardiologist with Southeastern Health Heart
at the unveiling of a new portrait in his memory at Southeastern and Vascular. “He would say, ‘If you get to know the patient,
Regional Medical Center. Dr. Hardin passed away in January, they’ll tell you what’s wrong with them.’ He was a master of
at the age of 76. He first began practicing in Robeson County that. He would say to me, ‘When you see a patient, sit down.’
in 1980. …It was one of the things I’ve always taken with me. It’s like
magic. … I learned from Ben that when you get to know that
“This a tribute to a true icon of the Robeson County medical patient, you know when something’s not right.”
community,” said Dr. Joe Roberts, Southeastern Health’s vice
president of Medical Affairs. “Tonight we are here to honor the Luckey Welsh, former CEO of SeHealth, recalled Dr. Hardin’s
legacy that Ben Hardin left behind among his family, friends role as a trailblazer, as the first American Indian resident at
and colleagues. … This large crowd speaks volumes about what was then Fayetteville Area Health Education Center. He
what Ben meant to the community.” was also the first openly admitted American Indian to attend
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Med-
Several of Dr. Hardin’s friends took turns speaking, remember- icine.
ing him as an intellectual, a listener, and good doctor and an
avid hunter. Dr. Hardin’s sense of humor and work ethic were “He came back here to serve his people,” Welsh said. “That’s
also recalled. what he told me.”

“It’s obvious Ben was a lot of things to a lot of people, espe- As well as unveiling the portrait, SeHealth also presented Dr.
cially the medical community,” said Dr. Matthew Cummings, Hardin’s children with a crystal tower engraved with Dr. Har-

Page 48 Robeson Living ~ Spring 2020