DANVERS — Peter Frates is still inspiring those around him.
Frates, the former St. John’s Prep and Boston College baseball player who came up with the idea of the Ice-Bucket Challenge in 2014 as a means of raising money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research, was honored Wednesday at The Prep as its 2018 Distinguished Alumnus.
In addition, St. John’s retired Frates’ No. 3 baseball jersey and dedicated the varsity baseball field as the “Peter Frates ‘03 Diamond.”
Headmaster Edward P. Hardiman revealed the trio of honors at a news conference Wednesday on the school’s campus in Danvers.
“There are so many layers of heroism within Pete’s story,” Hardiman said. “He is an amazing role model of resilience, perseverance, inspiration and servant leadership.
“His family is a model of how people come together to support one another,” Hardiman said. “Today is a testament to how much we believe that Pete exemplifies what we want our students to emulate in their own journey.”
Frates was a three-sports standout athlete, playing football, baseball and hockey at St. John’s. He later served as captain of the Boston College baseball team. In March of 2012, at the age of 27, Frates was diagnosed with ALS.
The Ice-Bucket Challenge went viral on social media during the summer of 2014. The Beverly native ultimately inspired unprecedented fundraising in the search for a cure.
Multiple charitable initiatives in association with “Team Frate Train” and Pete Frates #3 have raised more than $220 million worldwide.
Frates joins a list of previous honorees that includes educators, corporate executives, a Catholic Bishop, and Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien, among others.
“What a tremendous honor that I humbly accept from the school and community I love so much,” said Frates, who teamed up with the ALS Association this spring to create the Peter Frates Home Health Initiative, an organization that delivers in-home caregiving assistance to individuals suffering from ALS in Massachusetts. “As I read the Headmaster’s letter that delivered the good news, the tears started to flow. There is no way I could ever express how unbelievably thankful I am. I gratefully accept this honor on behalf of my entire family, especially my parents, who worked so incredibly hard to put me and my brother Andrew through the greatest prep school in the country. Go Eagles.”
The award honors a St. John’s graduate whose life exemplifies the spirit and values the school seeks to instill in all of its students. Established in 1993, it celebrates individuals who demonstrate a commitment to faith, family and service; who have achieved professional success; and who have made significant contributions to society as volunteers, mentors or benefactors.
The Frates family’s connection to St. John’s runs deep with a legacy that includes Pete’s father, John, who is a 1976 graduate, and his brother, Andrew, a 2006 graduate.
Frates’ No. 3 jersey will be officially retired by the Prep in the sports of football, hockey and baseball during a home football game under the lights on October 20. The ceremony will also formalize the dedication of the varsity baseball field, which will be designated the “Pete Frates ’03 Diamond.”
“Pete has given his time and his talent, and he and his family have been game-changers in the lives of others,” said Dr. Hardiman. “That’s something we want to recognize as a school. It’s just part of telling his story. Five or 10 or 15 years from now, when No. 3 is behind the hockey bench, or at Cronin Stadium, or painted on the baseball diamond for student-athletes to know that story, I think it will give them a deeper understanding of who they are and who they want to become.”
On Aug. 18, Governor Charlie Baker signed an act that declares the first week of every August “Ice Bucket Challenge Week” in Massachusetts. On Sept. 5, ForeEdge Books will release “Challenge,” a new book about Frates, his family, and how they inspired the 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge. The book is written by New York Times best-selling author Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge, who co-wrote “Boston Strong.” Sherman is also known for the book “The Finest Hours.”
Frates was named Sports Illustrated’s Inspiration of the Year in December of 2014, and the ESPN SportsCenter documentary charting his journey was nominated for an Emmy. Boston College retired Frates’ No. 3 jersey in 2016, and last fall, Endicott College, in his hometown of Beverly, named a dormitory after him. Also the recipient of the 2017 NCAA Inspiration Award, Frates was honored at Fenway Park this spring when the bucket he used for his own Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014, along with memorabilia from his playing days at BC, were donated to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Frates lives in Beverly with wife, Julie, and their 3-year-old daughter, Lucy.
