Jake Sullivan Roman saved three people through organ donation – Donor Network West honored his life and gathered his family for a special event to unveil a memorial portrait.
Carson City local and University of Nevada, Reno student Jake Sullivan Roman saved three people through organ donation in 2020. Donor Network West honored Jake and his family with the unveiling of his memorial “floragraph” portrait during a special event Thursday, Nov. 30. Made entirely out of organic materials, Jake’s floragraph will be featured on the Donate Life parade float in the 135th Rose Parade® happening Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 in Pasadena, California.
Two days before his twenty-first birthday, Jan. 20, 2020, Jake died from injuries he suffered in a tragic accident. As a registered organ donor, his liver and both kidneys saved three people. He was an active athlete who competed in football and wrestling at Carson High School. After graduation, he attended the University of Nevada, Reno where he was top of his class. He was awarded his degree in chemistry posthumously in 2020 from the University.
During the event, Jake’s parents, Susan and Blair Roman, completed the floragraph portrait of their son, which was created by Donate Life parade float volunteers.
“I was really impacted by the letters we received from the recipients of Jake’s gifts,” said Susan, Jake’s mom. “I had never thought about organ donation very much before and how impactful it is to the recipient families.”
Donor Network West is a sponsor of the 2024 Donate Life Rose Parade® float, which will feature organ donors represented by floragraphs as well as individuals from across the U.S. who are transplant recipients and living donors. The 2024 Donate Life parade float, titled “Woven Together: The Dance of Life,” aims to inspire viewers to say yes to joining the registry as organ donors and to give hope to the 100,000 people who are on the national transplant wait list. The 2024 Donate Life float is highly anticipated and aims to repeat success with the parade judges as the 2023 Donate Life float design received the Tournament of Roses Sweepstakes Award, the highest Tournament of Roses honor.
Approximately 700 Nevadans are currently awaiting a life-saving organ transplant. As the only non-profit organization authorized by the federal government to facilitate organ donations throughout northern Nevada and northern California, Donor Network West works to save and health more lives through organ, eye and tissue donation.
“Organ donor heroes like Jake save lives and their legacies live on in transplant recipients who have been given a second chance at life,” said Janice Whaley, president and CEO, Donor Network West. “It’s a privilege for Donor Network West to honor organ donors like Jake and their families. In sharing Jake’s story with our northern Nevada community and with the nation during the Rose Parade, we aim to raise awareness of the vital impact of organ, eye and tissue donation to help heal and save more lives.”
Donor Network West works to educate northern Nevada communities about organ donation and encourage more people to join the registry as organ, eye and tissue donors. Those interested in learning more, or who want to join the registry, can visit DonorNetworkWest.org.
About Donor Network West
Donor Network West saves and heals lives by facilitating organ and tissue recovery for transplantation and research. Established in 1987, Donor Network West is designated and certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), is a member of the Organ Donation Alliance and is an official Donate Life organization. Donor Network West is federally designated to serve 45 counties in northern California and northern Nevada, Donor Network West partners with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the state-authorized donor registries to help increase donor registration. For information, visit www.DonorNetworkWest.org and follow us on social media: @mydnwest.
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