Retired Marine Sam Farran.

Auburn Hills – At the Detroit Pistons game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Tuesday, January 12, Dearborn Heights resident and retired Arab American U.S. Marine Sam Farran was honored for his prolific history in the military.

Farran, 54, garnered international media attention in 2015 when he was held hostage in Yemen by the Houthi rebels for six months.  His release was facilitated in a negotiation process led by the country of Oman. 

Born in Tibneen Lebanon, Farran immigrated to Dearborn with his family when he was 10. In the late 70s he began his career in the Marines. He would eventually serve in Operation Desert Storm, the War on Terror and Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

Farran also assisted in the up-start of the Association of Patriotic Arab Americans in the Military (APAAM) with Yemeni-American founder Jamal Baadani. APAAM has more than 3,500 registered Arab Americans across the county.

Fans at the Palace gave Farran a standing ovation during the game, when he was honored and given his own Jersey; the number 16 with his last name written on it. 

Farran is married with four children. His son Ali is currently a staff sergeant in the Air Force.