Theresa Riley remembers her husband, Robert, as a low-key type of guy, but she figures he would get a kick out of representing organ and tissue donors in the Rose Parade.
And so he will, after a fashion, with his picture being contained in a rose-carrying vial on Donate Life America’s float in the parade at 10:30 a.m. Central time Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Calif.
Accompanying the photo of Riley, who died of a respiratory illness at the age of 65 in October 2012 will be a photo of Betsy Kline, a liver transplant recipient and her donor, Stephen Geist of Chippewa Falls; small rocks and granules from Grandad Bluff, and a prayer card to St. Vincent de Paul, the patron saint of charity.
“He was inconspicuous, but he would have liked this,” Theresa, of La Crescent, said Tuesday during an interview at Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare, where the items were put into the green, 4-inch vial. “He would be very happy with this.”
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Riley’s decision to be an organ donor resulted in transplants of bone tissue, skin and corneas to at least 39 people, including many skin grafts, said Theresa, a registered nurse in Mayo-Franciscan’s intensive care unit.
“He always expressed how he wanted this to be done when he died,” she said.
Klein, of La Crosse, said of her image’s inclusion in the vial, “I feel very honored and very thankful to my donor.”
The timing also stirs emotions for Klein, who will be 52 on Thursday, the 18th anniversary of her transplant.
“It was my 34th birthday — a birthday I won’t forget,” said Klein, a lab technician at Mayo-Franciscan.
Klein still keeps in touch with her donor's family, who died tragically at the age of 19.
“I’ve become very close with them,” she said.
Donate Life, a Richmond, Va.-based nonprofit that urges people to register to donate organs, eyes and tissue after dying, has sponsored a Rose float since 2004 as a memorial to donors and a platform for donor families.
The American Hospital Association and the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations invited Mayo-Franciscan to provide the vial in recognition of the fact that doctors at Mayo facilities in Minnesota, Arizona and Florida do about 1,000 organ and tissue transplants each year.
“We are sending the vial to make it a personal message,” said Jodie Gonia, an RN at donor liaison at Mayo-Franciscan. “We recognize the bravery of the patients who donate organs and tissues, as well as the struggles of patients waiting for these donations.”
The 126th parade’s theme is “Inspiring Stories,” prompting Donate Life to create a float with a “Never-Ending Story” motif to reflect the fact that donations continue life and health for recipients.
The float will feature 60 butterflies, representing the number of lives the average single deceased donor can help, flying above 72 books with portraits of donors.
Mayo-Franciscan’s vial will be among thousands holding roses on the float’s “dedication garden.”
Joe Kruse, Mayo-Franciscan’s chief administrative officer, said, “The photo and prayer to St. Vincent De Paul embody our Catholic heritage and our own dedication to commit charitable acts. The granules from Grandad Bluff represent our commitment and pride for the La Crosse community.”