Héctor Ferrer facts for kids

Héctor Jose Ferrer Ríos (born March 27, 1970 – died November 5, 2018) was a Puerto Rican politician and attorney. He served as a lawmaker in the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico for three terms, from 2001 to 2012. He was also the president of the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico (PPD) twice. He led the party from 2008 to 2011, and again from 2017 until October 2018.

Early Life and Education

Héctor Ferrer was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on March 27, 1970. He was the second son of Eugenio Ferrer Colom and Maria Elisa Ríos Candelas.

When he was 16, Ferrer played baseball in the Puerto Rico Amateur Baseball Federation. He mainly played as an infielder for several teams. He ended his amateur baseball career with a .250 batting average.

Ferrer earned a sports scholarship for baseball to study at the University of North Carolina. There, he received a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Industrial Relations. Later, he earned a law degree (called a Juris Doctor) from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. In March 1997, he was among the top students in the bar exam, which lawyers must pass. After finishing his studies, Ferrer worked as a private attorney.

Political Career

Héctor Ferrer began his political journey when he was elected to the Puerto Rico House of Representatives in the 2000 general elections. He represented District 29. During his first term, he was the Majority Whip for his party, the PPD. He also led committees on Ethics, Federal and International Affairs, and Consumer Affairs.

In the 2004 general elections, Ferrer was reelected as a Representative At-large. This meant he represented the entire island, not just one district. When his party lost the majority in the House and the Senate, Ferrer became the Minority Speaker. This role meant he led his party's members who were not in power.

Ferrer was reelected for a third time in 2008. He received the most votes among all candidates for his position. Because the PPD lost the Governor's race and control of the legislature, Ferrer continued as Minority Speaker.

After the PPD's defeat, its president, Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, resigned. Héctor Ferrer then became the party's president on November 10, 2008. This happened after a meeting with important party leaders.

In 2011, Ferrer handed over the party presidency to Alejandro García Padilla, who was running for governor. Ferrer first planned to run for Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, but then decided to run for mayor of San Juan. He would have run against the current mayor, Jorge Santini, in the 2012 general elections. However, due to a personal matter, he withdrew his candidacy and stepped away from politics for a while. Five months later, the issue was resolved, and no charges were filed against him.

During his time away from politics, Ferrer continued his work as an attorney. He also appeared as a commentator on a TV show called Los Seis de la Tarde. In 2016, Ferrer returned to politics. He ran for Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico alongside gubernatorial candidate David Bernier. He did not win, losing to Jenniffer González.

In February 2017, his party reelected Ferrer as their President. In October 2018, he passed the presidency to Aníbal José Torres.

Personal Life

Héctor Ferrer was married to Sonia Marie Santiago, and they had two children: Hector Enrique Ferrer Santiago and Marielisa Ferrer Santiago. After their divorce, he had a short marriage to Attorney Jacqueline Martinez. Later, he had a relationship with Elisa "Beba" Hernández for seven years, and they had a son named Eduardo José Ferrer Hernandez. Ferrer's brother, Eduardo, also became a member of the House of Representatives in 2012.

Ferrer was a very active person and enjoyed many sports. These included baseball, jogging, cycling, and swimming.

Health and Passing

In September 2015, Héctor Ferrer shared that he had been diagnosed with cancer in the esophagus. He received various treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation. In 2016, Ferrer announced that he was free of cancer.

However, in September 2018, Ferrer's cancer returned, and he was hospitalized. He faced some difficulties after a surgery but was released from the hospital after a week. Sadly, Ferrer passed away almost two months later, on November 5, 2018. He died at Auxilio Mutuo Hospital in Hato Rey after another surgery. His parents and youngest son were with him at the time. Carlos Delgado Altieri, a leader in the PPD, confirmed the news. He described it as "something quick and unexpected." Because of Ferrer's passing, Governor Ricardo Rosselló declared five days of mourning in his honor.

See also

Héctor Ferrer Ríos para niños