Inspiring the Pupil Experience: A Visit from Benji Hall

Published by Hurstpierpoint College Prep School on Thursday 30th of January 2025

In January, the Senior Prep School welcomed Fox News Media Foreign Affairs Correspondent Benjamin (Benji) Hall to Hurst, where he shared his remarkable journey—from freelancing in the Middle East during the early days of his journalistic career, to reporting on the frontlines in Ukraine.

Over the years, he ventured from one conflict zone to another, propelled by his belief that “if you want to tell a story properly, you have to be there”. He recounted interviewing groups he profoundly disagreed with—such as ISIS—simply to understand and present a complete picture. After attending the final talk between the U.S. and Russia before the invasion of Ukraine, he felt compelled to travel to the heart of the unfolding crisis.

He described the day in Ukraine when a blast changed his life forever—costing him parts of both legs, among other serious injuries. In that moment, he realised there were two ways to respond: one part of him could say it was over, but the other knew he had to push on for his family, no matter how impossible it seemed. Against all odds, he managed to drag himself onto a nearby road, where he was ultimately rescued by the Ukrainian Special Forces. It took three months before he could walk again and a year before something as simple as going to the local shop was an option, but today, he is back on the news. “Deep inside everyone there is a real resilience—I wasn’t certain it was in me, but I found it was”, he reflected.

At Hurst, our goal of “Inspiring the Pupil Experience” shines through real-world encounters like these, reminding pupils that empathy, resilience, and a passion for truth are qualities that shape us far beyond the classroom. We are grateful to Benjamin for sharing his insights and reminding us that, no matter how great the challenge—whether on the frontlines or in our everyday lives—we can always find a way forward.