2022 Rider Honorees
Meet the float riders touched through donation and transplantation.
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Aliza’s journey with congenital heart disease and tissue donation began just after her birth, when she was diagnosed with aortic stenosis. She had her first open-heart surgery at 8, her second and 18 and her third at 27. It was in 2015 when Aliza began feeling overwhelming exhaustion with the slightest activity that led her to an emergency visit to her cardiologist and the news that she would need a pulmonary valve replacement. Celebrating the life of her donor, Aliza serves on the board of directors of The Adult Congenital Heart Association and is a passionate volunteer with The W Connection. She lives a full and active life in the center of NYC, teaching yoga, working in the advertising industry, and loving her family and friends as hard as possible. -
Branden was born with an inherited genetic mutation discovered by his ophthalmologist, experiencing two serious eye conditions that could potentially leave him blind. In addition, he also faced the possibility of having a progressive kidney condition related to the same mutation. He had just recently turned fifteen and was diagnosed with Stage 4 chronic kidney disease. Within four months of learning he had CKD, Branden experienced a significant decline in kidney function that led to his undergoing dialysis treatment. Thankfully, Branden's time on dialysis was short-lived. Two months later, on November 6, 2020, Branden's mother received "the call" from the transplant team at Stanford Children's Health. He received a new kidney, and Brandon and his family are forever grateful to his donor for this second chance at life. -
For many years Charles "Chuck" Pruitt was told he had Liver Disease. In May of 2013, Chuck was told he had about one year to live. He was placed at the top of the list for a liver transplant and on August 16, 2014, Chuck received the liver of a nineteen-year-old young man named Bryan, who died after a motorcycle accident. This brought out memories of Chuck's own life at that age and how his donor would never experience things such as having a career, a family, or grandkids. After his transplant, Chuck began setting survival goals; a day, a week, 1,000 days. When that was reached, he set a new survival goal. His Great-Grandfather William lived to 108 years of age. Chuck's goal now is to outlive him. -
In March of 2019, Chris Brown's right arm was traumatically amputated. A few months later, Chris began suffering from chronic pain. The pain was constant and often so intense it felt like lightning bolts were shooting through his amputated arm. Fortunately, Chris was referred to a nerve surgeon who explained that nerves injured as a result of the amputation were the cause of the pain and recommend surgical nerve repair. During the procedure, several neuromas were surgically removed. Chris's nerves were then reconstructed by connecting them to nerves located in his shoulder muscle. There were large gaps that needed to be bridged with donated tissue. Thanks to a donor's gracious gift, Chris is back to work, back to the baseball field with his four kids, and living pain free. -
In December 2016, after a lung biopsy, Dawn was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and placed on oxygen therapy. After completing a series of tests, she was listed for a right lung transplant in September 2017. Over a period of time, her oxygen level started to decline, and she was admitted to the hospital in May 2019 and placed on the high flow oxygen machine. A month later, she was transferred to the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine to help her breathe. Within a few days the doctors told her that a lung had become available. On June 24, 2019, Dawn received a right lung transplant. Dawn gives a special "Thank You" every day to her donor and her donor's family, for giving her this gift of life. -
Gerald Freeny has been a volunteer member of the Tournament of Roses Association since 1988. He served as the President of the Tournament of Roses for the 130th Rose Parade® presented by Honda and the Rose Bowl Game® presented by Northwestern Mutual. In February of 1993, Gerald was diagnosed with cancer of the bile duct. He received a liver transplant in 1993. He enjoyed good health until December 2011, when he was diagnosed with cancer again. This time it was lymphoma. Gerald was put on chemotherapy. After undergoing treatment, Gerald’s kidneys and liver started to fail, and he received a liver and kidney transplant at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His first liver lasted 22 years. Gerald feels blessed and grateful. He also worked in law enforcement for 28 years before retiring. -
On August 6, 2014, Hilda Martinez prepared for bed and anxiously thought about the challenging days that lay ahead. Her doctor scheduled her to begin dialysis on Monday, August 13. In a few days, Hilda would rely on dialysis to do the job her kidneys could no longer do. Unexpectedly, on August 7, 2014, Hilda received a call notifying her that she was a possible candidate for a kidney transplant. That same day, Hilda received a kidney transplant. Thanks to her donor and the gift of life she received, Hilda can now spend quality time with her two young daughters, see her two sons graduate from San Francisco State University, and celebrate 26 years of marriage with her loving husband. She thanks her donor every single day for this gift. -
Jennifer's transplant journey began when she was 11 years old after doctors diagnosed her with liver cirrhosis. Jennifer was immediately put on the transplant list but would spend the next 24 years living her own version of a "normal" life. Her first transplant, her new liver, was on September 24, 2018, at UCSF from an 11-year-old child. Unfortunately, a few months after her liver transplant she was told that her kidneys were failing and would need to be put on the kidney transplant list. Luckily, Jennifer's brother was willing to be her living kidney donor in 2021. As of today, she is healthier than she has been in years. "Not a day goes by where I don't think about my donor or their family," she says. -
Karen lives every day with a grateful spirit and the positive attitude to be an encouragement. She has always lived a healthy life despite being born with only one kidney. In 2010, she learned that her liver was failing, and by the end of the next year, end-stage liver failure and liver cancer loomed over Karen. In April 2015, Karen received her liver from a selfless donor; a donor that she learned was the same age as many of the students she once taught in school. A deep joy fills Karen's heart every day. With her second chance at life, she has been able to honor her donor, Gavin, in many ways. Additionally, since her health was renewed, Karen is thrilled to be back in the classroom teaching full-time. -
Kim's involvement in organ, eye and tissue donation began when her 16-year-old son William suddenly needed a liver transplant in 2004. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2005. Kim launched a non-profit foundation in William's memory to champion the cause of organ, eye, tissue, and blood donation. She served on a national United Network for Organ Sharing Patient Affairs Committee to help enhance the donation process and she also worked to promote a new, online donor registry for the state of Florida. In 2021, at the age of 63, Kim underwent an eight-hour spinal fusion surgery, receiving donor bone to repair and strengthen her spine. She is beyond grateful to her donor, for allowing her to resume her life and her 45-year career as a flight attendant. -
Rene Sorrentino's life and career were great—until a routine physical exam revealed that a virus was slowly destroying her liver. Her only hope was a transplant. She was placed on the transplant list at UCLA. She waited for two years while dealing with multiple hospitalizations and procedures to keep her alive. In February of 2014, her brother flew in from Florida, likely to say goodbye. He asked the doctor if he could take Rene back to Florida with him, where she would perhaps get a liver sooner. The next day after her arrival and admission into Florida Hospital, Rene learned that a liver was available for her. Rene has since met her donor's family. Nicholas Paquette, her donor, will be honored with a floragraph on the Donate Life float. -
As a child, Selah Kitchiner had dreams of helping others and making a difference in the world. This was solidified when she was thirteen years old and diagnosed with liver failure and was listed for a transplant. She received a new liver at the University of California, San Francisco while grieving for the sudden loss of her father. Although everything in her life seemed to be falling apart, her medical team always had her best interest at heart. She felt inspired and decided that a career in medicine was the path she wanted to take in her life. After graduating high school, Selah was accepted to USC, where she is completing a degree in psychology on the pre-med track. She cannot wait to enjoy the beautiful life ahead of her. -
Like so many others, Tony Young’s transplant journey has been a whirlwind. He had his first heart attack when he was just 25 years old and a second at age 30. He was in and out of the hospital with congestive heart failure and kidney failure for most of the last decade. After being hospitalized in February 2020, he was told he would not be leaving with his native heart. In March 2020, Tony received great news: a heart and a kidney were available for him. The transplants saved his life. “It was a true miracle amidst what had been some dark days,” said Tony. Thanks to his donor, he’s been able to find renewed joy in being able to do simple things that can be easily taken for granted. -
Venerable Kumara explained that before Buddha became enlightened, he practiced types of Great Virtues called Parami. One of them is the Virtue of Donation (Dana Parami). Among the various donations, body part donation is a higher virtue and the hardest to practice. By donating any kind of body part, while living or in death, others can benefit by regaining health and happiness to strengthen the lifespan. One day, the temple where Kumara received his Buddhist education notified him that Mr. Maung Maung Myint in America needed a kidney transplant. Upon testing, Kumara was found to be a match for Maung Maung; Kumara didn't hesitate to offer his kidney. After his donation, he didn't notice any negative decline in his health, but instead was gaining strength post-surgery. -
Vickie West Vann is a 36-year liver transplant survivor from 1985. When Vickie was 12, doctors at Stanford told her parents she probably had only three more years to live, but she survived the poor prognosis. At 23, she was at City of Hope and needed a liver transplant, but the drug that would eventually lead to increase survival rates in transplant recipients wasn't available yet. At 25, she was transferred to UCLA Medical Center. That same year she met her husband Bill Vann, got married in March of 1985 and underwent a liver transplant surgery in August 1985. Thanks to her transplant, Vicky was able to get pregnant and welcome her son Jamie in 1987 and has enjoyed a healthy life since 1985.