Dr. Ben Carson Reflects on Faith, Medicine, Parenting, and America at Herzog Foundation Event

Dr. Ben Carson, renowned pediatric neurosurgeon and former presidential candidate, captivated a Herzog Foundation audience Tuesday with reflections on faith, medicine, parenting, and the nation. Carson spoke as part of the Foundation’s American Dream Speaker Series, which brings distinguished Americans to its Kansas City-area campus to share their stories and inspire the community.

“I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what people think,” Carson told the audience. “I care what God thinks, and that’s the most important thing.”

Carson traced the role of faith throughout his life. It guided him from a challenging childhood with a single, devout mother to miraculous successes as a pediatric neurosurgeon. Among those achievements was the separation of conjoined twins in what he described as “impossible” surgeries.

“I learned early in my career that it wasn’t me, that it was God,” he said, recounting moments when prayer guided him through high-pressure operations that saved lives.

Faith also guided Carson’s parenting. He and his wife, Candy, raised three sons with Christian values while traveling extensively as a family. “Candy has a degree from Yale and a degree from Johns Hopkins, but she was willing to stay home and raise the boys. We made family time a priority,” he said.

Carson also spoke candidly about his 2016 presidential run, describing himself as reluctant yet motivated by concern for the nation. He reflected on his friendship with Donald Trump and his current role as vice chair of the Religious Liberty Commission.

Education and Christian schooling were another focus. Carson expressed concern about the decline of public education and optimism about the growth of Christian education and school choice nationwide.

Carson concluded with a reminder of the blessings of America: “No matter where your ancestors came from…you’re probably better off here than you would have been in that place. There is no place like America. We should be very proud of it, and we should do everything we can to preserve it.”

The American Dream Speaker Series, organized by the Herzog Foundation, provides a platform for leaders, innovators, and public servants to inspire the public through stories of courage, service, and perseverance.

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