Photos courtesy of Scott Weersing
Kate Taylor was our representative for the Donate Life float in the 2012 Rose Parade. We’re thrilled she wants to share with all of us her and her families experiences. Here’s what she wrote:
How do you find a word to sum up the experience of a lifetime? I’ll borrow the word my 5-year-old daughter, Ella, used…magical. On January 2, I was honored to represent tissue recipients as a float rider on the Donate Life Float – One More Day, in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA.
The entire five days were full of emotion. I met others like me, alive today because of the generosity of donor families and the commitment of organizations like Community Tissue Services. I met mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, who turned their biggest tragedy into life for others through their giving hearts.
Photos courtesy of Scott Weersing
The day of the parade was beautiful and the excitement was palpable. As I took my seat on the float in the breaking dawn, I was reminded of my donor, knowing this experience would not have happened, save their generosity. As I rode that day, the tears came easily. Some were tears of joy, others tears of sadness. As I watched those in the crowd look at our float, it was amazing to watch the transformation from smiles at the beauty of the float, to tears at the understanding of the float, back to smiles for the riders of the float.
There were many amazing floats at the Rose Parade that day, but dare I say there were none so meaningful as ours. My heartfelt thanks Community Tissue Services, for helping me to inspire others to Donate Life by registering as an organ and tissue donor and for giving me the opportunity to share this wonderful experience with my family.
More photos from the parade are posted on our Facebook page. We are so pleased to join Kate on this part of her life’s journey. She is full of grace, hope and life. She inspires us all and poignantly illustrates how important our work truly is.
