Osage couple see Rose Parade float that honors son, other organ donors

By Dennis Magee | WCF Courier

PASADENA, Calif. --- Jermiah Dosser's parents got their first peek at an elaborate float that will honor their son and other organ donors during the annual Rose Parade on Jan. 1.

Jody and Rick Dosser of Osage winter in Arizona, but a week ago they traveled to California to help decorate a "floragraph," an image of Jermiah colored with seeds, petals and other natural materials.

Jermiah's floragraph will be one of 60 similar portraits gracing the OneLegacy Donate Life float. Jody also will ride on the float.

The intent is to raise awareness about organ and tissue donation. The Dossers' son died in a traffic accident in 2007, and surgeons harvested his corneas and other tissue.

"Working on Jermiah's floragraph with a portion of our family was very emotional --- happy and sad," Jody wrote in an e-mail. "Many smiles and many tears."

Each person got a T-shirt and tags and buttons with Jermiah's photo and name. An assistant then helped each volunteer complete the oval that will be part of the float.

"We all were able to help in the mixing, gluing and placement of the various colored organic material on Jermiah's floragraph," Jody wrote. "We all worked together from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on adding texture and color."

Jody credited OneLegacy and those involved with making this first trip a memorable time.

"The positive support and encouragement was felt and experienced all day," she wrote.

Along the way, the Dossers encountered others touched in one way or another by organ donation, including families like theirs who lost loved ones. They also met Ann Lopez, wife of actor and comedian George Lopez.

"Ann Lopez is a living donor ... She gave her kidney to her husband," Jody wrote.

Ann Lopez will be one of three people walking in front of the Donate Life float. The entry will follow the Rose Queen and her court, about No. 10 in the parade lineup, according to Jody.