2017 Daniel Joseph Luevanos

daniel-luevanos_olDANIEL JOSEPH LUEVANOS

Liver Recipient

Age 58 ~ Detroit, Michigan

Enterprise Fleet Driver

Honored by OneLegacy at OneLegacy.org

Daniel Joseph Luevanos became a liver recipient two days after Christmas in 2003. Daniel didn’t know he needed a liver transplant until donating blood at a Red Cross Blood Drive, where he discovered that he would need to seek treatment for Hepatitis C. After a series of visits to the emergency room, Daniel was referred to a transplant program at USC, and placed on the transplant waiting list in 2001. On December 15th, after being admitted to the intensive care unit, Daniel was placed in an induced coma. However, during what doctors predicted would be his last 48 hours, Daniel received the gift of life. He now volunteers for OneLegacy to help spread the message of Donate Life. Daniel Luevanos believes that it is an honor to represent this incredible mission, his fellow Ambassadors and ultimately the selflessness of a stranger who gave him a second chance at life on this year’s Donate Life Rose Parade Float.

Daniel’s Story

I became a liver recipient two days after Christmas in 2003. I needed a liver transplant because of poor life choices that led to my contracting Hepatitis C, which I didn’t know I had until I donated blood at a Red Cross Blood Drive. A few weeks after my donation, the Red Cross called me and told me they couldn’t use my blood and that I needed to seek medical treatment for Hepatitis C. I found a doctor in West Covina who is still happy to see me to this day.

After a series of visits to the emergency room, I was referred to a transplant program at USC where I was greeted by warm and caring staff. They started my evaluation for the program and had me enroll in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other drug and alcohol treatment programs. During the programs, I talked to a psychologist about how I had turned to drugs and alcohol to erase the pain of a difficult childhood. I knew I was slowly killing myself, but I truly didn’t want to live, so I lived a dangerous, rock star lifestyle. My body, especially my liver, started to give up from all the abuse.

After proving I was clean and sober, I was placed on the transplant waiting list in 2001 and my health gradually got worse. Just before Thanksgiving 2003, I found myself in the hospital with an umbilical hernia. The surgeon that was going to fix the hernia told me the anesthesia wouldn’t be good for my liver and would likely cause my health to deteriorate rapidly. He was right. By December 1st, I was admitted to the intensive care unit and on December 15th, I was placed in an induced coma. On Christmas Eve, my family and friends were told that if I did not receive the gift of life within 48 hours, I would die. They prepared for the worst. On December 27th, a few family members were gathered outside the hospital when a man walked in asking for my doctors. They got excited because they knew “this was Daniel’s gift of life.”

I woke up December 29th feeling sore but freshly energized and ready to celebrate Christmas, since I had been out of it since December 15th. Instead, we were getting ready to celebrate New Year’s 2004. A few days later, on New Year’s Day, we were watching the Rose Parade on television when I saw the Donate Life Rose Parade Float roll down Colorado Boulevard. I knew then that I would volunteer for OneLegacy to help spread the message of Donate Life. Today, I am a OneLegacy Ambassador to 15 southern California cities. Wherever there is a need for someone to help educate people about organ, eye and tissue donation or to register people as donors, I am available.

I got involved as a volunteer for the 2012 Transplant Games in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I had so much fun that I went on to compete in swimming and volleyball in the 2014 Games in Houston, Texas. Now, after competing in cornhole, swimming and volleyball at the Games in Cleveland, Ohio, I was able to bring back three medals from these games: Silver in 100 yds.; Breaststroke, Bronze in 50 yds. Butterfly, Bronze in The Cornhole Toss.

The generosity of my donor and my advocacy work with OneLegacy has allowed me to witness first-hand the positive effects of organ, eye and tissue donation. It’s an honor to represent this incredible mission, my fellow Ambassador and ultimately the selflessness of a stranger who gave me a second chance at life on this year’s Donate Life Rose Parade Float.