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This year’s Rose Parade was an especially significant event for organ and tissue donation advocates here in Illinois.  The Donate Life Float featured two riders who call the great state of Illinois home. Alex Rodriguez, of Cicero, was sponsored by Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network riding in honor of his brother Francisco “Paco” Rodriguez.  The second rider, Linda Henning, resides in Crossville and was sponsored by Donor Alliance of Denver, Colorado.  Linda rode in honor of her son, Marc, a former cadet in the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Alex Rodriguez and Linda Henning in front of the Donate Life Float

Both Alex and Linda spent their time in Pasadena building awareness for organ and tissue donation and networking with donor families and recipients from across the United States.  It was truly an amazing time to honor loved ones, make life-long connections, and celebrate the “Gift of Life” that is organ and tissue donation.

Alex Rodriguez sitting next to Paco's heart recipient, Alexis Sloan, on the Donate Life Float

If you would like to learn more about the Donate Life Float and the Rose Parade, check out the links to news stories and resources at the bottom of this post.  To see more pictures of our Illinois float riders, visit the Donate Life Illinois Facebook Page or go to the Donate Life Float Media Center.

National Media Surrounding the Donate Life Float

ESPN.com – The parade of life

CNN.com – Two families bond after child’s death saves another

Regional Coverage of Illinois riders and honorees

Fox Chicago News –Friends and Family Honor Boxer Paco Rodriguez

ABC Chicago – Late Chicago boxer to be honored at Rose Parade

Univision Chicago – Niño Azteka será honrado en Los Ángeles

Telemundo Chicago – Murió en el cuadrilátero, pero sigue viviendo

The Denver Post – Organ donors’ families celebrate gift of life at Calif. Event

Carmi Times – Phillipstown represented in Rose Parade

More Resources

Visit the Donate Life Facebook Page for photos of the Illinois riders and honorees.

Go to DonateLifeFloat.org for more information on the Donate Life Float.

Register your decision to save lives through organ and tissue donation at DonateLifeIllinois.org!

Rendering of 2012 Donate Life Float

This year, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network is honoring Francisco “Paco” Rodriguez by sending his family to Pasadena to participate in Donate Life Float activities from December 28^th until January 2^nd. Paco’s family will help decorate the Donate Life Float, network with donor families and recipients, and spread organ and tissue donation awareness. Alex Rodriguez, Paco’s brother, will even ride on the Donate Life Float during the Rose Parade!

Sonia, wife, and Ginette, daughter, put the finishing touches on Paco's floragraph.

From December 28^th until January 2^nd, the Donate Life Illinois team will be in Pasadena with the Rodriguez family sharing photos and updates on Facebook and Twitter. Use the hashtag #DonateLifeFloat on Twitter to see updates from Donate Life Illinois and, possibly, other Donate Life organizations.

Happy Holidays!

- Josh

I feel so honored to have been chosen by Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network to be a float rider on the Donate Life Float in the 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade.  I rode on the float to honor my son, Jeff Meyer, who became an organ/tissue donor when he passed away 10/23/01, his recipients, and my husband, Jim Tilton, who received his new healthy kidney 3/18/89.  We put a rose on the float to honor Jeff, as well as one for a friend for her precious little granddaughter who passed away at 11 months old waiting for a transplant that never came in time to save her little life.  Our family, volunteers and friends were as excited as me knowing I would be on the float.

We had a busy 4 days in Pasadena, CA, as we were involved in many Donate Life Float activities, parties and the Rose Bowl Game. It was so wonderful to meet the other float riders and floral graph families. It was so awesome to get to help decorate the float and see it become such a beautiful float.  Seeing all the amazing floragraphs on the float honoring donors was touching.  As the float rolled out of the hanger and seeing the kites being brought up along with the floragraphs, was like seeing it come to life and represent life.  Then all of us riders climbed onto our seats for float judging with photos in our hands of our donor loved one or their donor who gave me a new chance at life.  And as the float judges walked around our float and talking to riders you could see the tears in their eyes too.

Dee (center) rides the Donate Life Float

The excitement started New Years Day at 7:40 AM as we climbed on the “Seize the Day”  Donate Life Float. The float won the Theme Trophy in the parade judging. As the parade started it was just so awesome to see how excited people became as our float approached them. All along the parade route it was awesome seeing people react as they’d realize what the float represented. Many stood, clapped, threw kisses, showed hugs, or had tears in their eyes.  It was great to be able to interact with the crowd while on the float as we rode the 5 mile parade route.  Most floats represent a company or city, but the Donate Life float represents life, memories, love, caring, giving and hope.   You could just see this float had true meaning to those watching the parade.

Towards the end of the parade, as we were stopped, a couple of teenage girls were just smiling and waving to us, so I motioned for them to come over to the float.  I gave them a “Seize the Day” lapel pin and it brought such smiles to their faces as they put them on their jacket. I took their picture as we pulled away. It was neat to see how excited they were, and it made them feel more part of the float.

The two plus hours we were on the parade route went so fast, but I came away from it so blessed.  The Donate Life float had a meaning that touched people’s hearts and made them see how organ donation touched our lives. The Donate Life Float not only shows awareness of the importance of being an organ/tissue/eye donor, but touches the hearts of those who see the float’s true meaning of giving love, hope and life to others.

I had the most amazing 4 days of my life that I will never forget.  I was so blessed to be part of this wonderful float and parade.

Delora “Dee” Tilton

Groveland, IL

Visit the Donate Life Float media center to view more photos from the parade.

Seize the Day!

To learn more about the Donate Life Float and last year’s Illinois rider’s experience, check out Donate Life’s Rose Parade site and our coverage of last year’s parade:

Illinois Float Rider – Rose Parade Slideshow Recap

Recap on Award-Winning Donate Life Rose Parade Float

Donate Life America’s Rose Parade Photos

Seize everyday!

-Nick

Enjoy and thanks Anne!

-Scott

This year’s float, titled New Life Rises, caught the attention of millions of eyes nationwide. Throughout the Parade, ABC conducted a text message poll asking viewers to chime in and vote on their favorite float. The winner? None other than our Donate Life float!

The Float also won this year’s Theme Trophy for Excellence in presenting the Parade Theme, “A Cut Above the Rest.” Here is the complete list of all 2010 float award winners.

In addition, if you happened to miss the Parade, you can still see the Donate Life float in action by visiting this video from KLTA. The Donate Life float appears in Part 1 around the 13:00 mark.

Lastly, a few photos from the Parade! Congrats to everyone involved!

-Scott

Photo by Scott Weersing

Photo by Scott Weersing

Photo by Scott Weersing

Wishing everyone a safe night and a great year ahead in 2010!

Also, don’t forget to watch the Rose Parade tomorrow as the Donate Life float will be appearing early in the lineup. In the meantime, check out this article in the Barrington Courier-Review about our float rider, Anne Gulotta and this article in the Mattoon Journal-Gazette about floragraph honoree, Cameron Chana.

Cheers everyone!

T-minus 9 days!

-Scott

Anne Gulotta

On Saturday December 12th, a great event happened at the National Kidney Foundation in Chicago.  Two families came together to decorate their loved one’s floragraphs and to honor them for the gift of life they gave to others.

These floragraphs of Jay and Cameron will be placed on the 2010 Donate Life float. 76 floragraphs will rise from the ashes bringing hope to others.  I plan to write about “A day in the life of a float rider ” while I’m in Pasadena.  Today, I thought I would share some interesting details about the float.   If you haven’t already please visit Donatelifefloat.org.  It’s a beautifully illustrated website with photos and information about the event.

Soon, I will embark on a “ride of a lifetime.”  I’m reviewing the agenda that Donate Life puts together for each float rider, and I’m realizing that I will be busier than I thought.  Donate Life and OneLegacy teams have been working for a year to put this event together.  They call themselves Team Donate Life.  There’s an Organization Committee, too.  Steve Ferkau‘s a part of the Organization Committee.  All these folks work together throughout the year to make one thing happen:  An amazing Donate Life Float that will put our issue in front on a national stage for millions to see.

This Year’s theme, New Life Rises, is inspired by the Tournament of Rose parade theme “A Cut Above”, and the Master of Ceremonies this is year is Chelsey “Sully Sullenburger” who safely brought the plane down in the Hudson River and saved 155 lives.  New Life Rises should be the 10th float in line this year, and the Phoenix rising from the ashes 29 feet into the air could not have been a better theme for 2010! The parade commences at 10am CDT.

We are honoring donors who’ve given the gift of life to others, and Jay and Cameron will be two of them. I encourage you to read about the other float riders and floragraphs. I printed them out yesterday, and my goal is to memorize who the float riders are before I arrive in Pasadena. Their  stories are amazing.

Lately, I’ve received emails about different news stories that are being told around the country about the float riders and floragraphs.  Thousands of volunteer workers and countless hours will go into the float decorating before the Parade. A few weeks ago I got a call from Bryan Stewart who is the Wizard of OZ for coordinating the Donate Life float.  He oversees everything that is going on in Pasadena, and I think when I arrive in Pasadena it’s going to be like Dorothy opening the door to the Land of OZ.

Bryan was standing in front of Jay’s floragraph a few weeks ago, and he called me. I got to speak to the two artists that decorated Jay’s floragraph. Jerry and Barbara traveled to the Rosemount Pavilion where hundreds of other volunteer artists met to decorate floragraphs.  Barbara told me of her daughter-in-law that is alive today because of a kidney transplant. She wanted to “give back”, and the story of Jay inspired her to decorate. I have a photo of Barbara and Jerry holding Jay’s floragraph, and I can’t wait to meet them in Pasadena.

I’ve written about the Family Circle Rose Dedication. There will ceremonies to give families and friends a chance to place roses, and there will be thousands of them. Alex O’loughlin, the star of the TV show Three Rivers, recently dedicated a rose  in honor of Fernanado, whose family consented to eye donation through San Antonio Eye Bank because they were fans of the CBS show. Fernando wanted to help people like those on the show.  Alex wrote:

“Fernando’s legacy lives on through his family, friends, and those whose sight he restored through cornea donation.  I will always be inspired by Fernando’s generosity.  Sincerely,  Alex O’Loughlin.”

You still have time to dedicate to the Family Circle Rose Dedication.  The biggest event before the parade will be the float judging that takes place on the afternoon of December 31st. Float decorating will cease, and all float riders will assemble for a dress rehearsal.  The music will play, all float riders will be seated, and the judging will commence. I’ve been told that between the tears and hugs a loud roar and clapping will commence at the end of judging. I have no doubt that the Donate Life Float is one of, if not the most spectacular float with a story and a message like no other.

~ Anne

-Scott

Anne Gulotta

The moments that lead up to organ donation/transplantation can be riveting. TV series are written about it.  But, living it is a surreal experience. Imagine if you will for a moment this scenerio:

In a small town called Havana, IL a woman waits patiently by her telephone for a phone call that will change her life. She’s in need of a kidney transplant, and she’s been called before but to no avail. Her eyes swell with tears thinking she may  never get a call, and a compatible donor will never be found.

A few hundred miles north in Barrington, IL a family experiences a terrible tragedy. A man is rushed to the hospital, and the family is told the damage to his brain is irreversible, and that he is going to die.

The family in Barrington consent to organ donation, and spend the next 24 hours with their loved one until they are told at 10pm  that he is brain dead. In the middle of the night the phone rings and the lady in Havana, IL thinks it’s a prank call. The call wouldn’t go through so she hung up. Then, it rang again and the voice said we have a donor for you! As one family grieves over the loss of their loved one, another family rejoices. In fact, it’s the wedding anniversary of the couple in Havana, IL, and the woman tells her husband he need not buy her an anniversary present. Nothing he could buy her would top this.

The events above happened to me and my family.

My husband Jay died on may 8th, 2002. A few months after his death I received information from Gift Of Hope about the recipients of Jay’s organs. His heart went to a 55-year-old man, his left kidney to a 42-year-old woman, his right kidney to a 16-year-old girl, he gave someone sight, and more.

At Thanksgiving I received a thank you letter from the recipient of Jay’s left kidney. She’s the woman I describe above from Havana, IL.  Julie suffers from diabetes and would not be alive today if it weren’t for Jay’s gift of life. Julie sent flowers at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and we corresponded by letter writing for one year.

On the one year anniversary of Julie’s new life, I called her. I felt like I knew her forever. Our friendship continued to grow, and in August of 2005 I met Julie, her husband Ed, and their family and friends in Havana, Il. I pulled up to the front of their house accompanied by a dear friend, a representative from Gift Of Hope, and a reporter from the Daily Herald.

Anne and Jay's recipient, Julie.

We were greeted by signs that said “Jay My Gift Of Life” and “Anne My Gift Of Hope.” My feelings were indescribable –  it’s grief and joy all mixed into one. When I saw Julie, I ran to her and I didn’t want to let go. Then I said “Where’s Jay, I want to see Jay,” and she put my hand over her scar.

I spent the weekend with Julie and her family. Everywhere we went there was a place set at the table for Jay. Since then I’ve been back to Havana, IL to plant a tree along the Illinois river in Jay’s memory. Julie and I talk all the time. I couldn’t imagine life without her now.

Our situation is atypical. The percentage of individuals that are eligible to become organ donors is 1-2 percent. The number of donor and recipients that ever meet is less, and the friendship that Julie and I have is priceless. I look at other recipients with great admiration, and I understand the grief and pain that donor families feel over the loss of a loved one.

” It’s the circle of life and it moves us all. Through despair and hope.  Through faith and love. Till we find our place. On the path unwinding. In the circle. The circle of life. “