Midlands teen honored in parade for saving lives through organ donation

PASADENA, CA (WIS) - A Midlands teen who died in a car accident in 2015 was honored on New Year’s Day at the annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.

Drew David’s picture was featured on a floragraph on a float from Donate Life, called Rhythm of the Heart. The honor comes from Donate Life and Sharing Hope SC and it’s due to David’s lasting impact in life and death.

David, an athlete and student at Camden High School, was 16 years old when he registered at the DMV as an organ donor. David died at 17 years old in 2015. But because he was an organ donor, four people were given the gift of life and another the gift of sight.

David’s father Trey was at the parade and says watching the float go by was an emotional experience.

“It was a moment of being proud of the stuff he did while he was alive and here with us and it was a moment to reflect and be appreciative of the things he accomplished through death and giving his organs,” he said.

There is impact behind David’s choice because in South Carolina there are about 1,000 people on an organ waiting list. The vast majority of those on the list are waiting for kidneys. According to a Sharing Hope SC spokesperson Mark Johnson, David was able to help someone who needed a kidney.

We are Sharing Hope SC says there are several ways to become an organ donor: you can sign up at your DMV with your driver’s license, you can go to donatelife.org, or you can use the Iphone health app medical tab.

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