Martin Luther King Kingdom Day Parade

I am inspired to work harder because of individuals like Jo

by Glenn Matsuki

Having the privilege of riding the 2011 Donate Life Kingdom Float, I met an incredibly beautiful woman who is currently on the waiting list for a lung transplant.  Jo Ann Merriweather captivated me and those around her because of her ever present HUGE smile and a personality that is always upbeat and thankful despite being tethered to a portable oxygen machine and obviously physically weakened.  Jo felt she had to participate and constantly gave her "thanks" to anyone in earshot for the opportunity to share her story in hopes of inspiring people to become organ donors.

With Jo's permission, we are posting her recounting of her ride - you can clearly see how truly wonderful Jo Ann Merriweather is.....

"The parade was fabulous!! It was amazing - the weather was in the 80's, I was told, and it was a continuous blanket of people everywhere you looked.  So colorful, so happy to wave back.  We yelled out "Donate Life" and "Happy King's Day" and "Get on Board".  I mostly yelled Donate Life, and Happy King's Day.  I am surprised I didn't lose my voice, but today I feel like I went one round with a "gentle" sumo wrestler!!  Really exhausted.

Amazing how many muscles hurt.  I am weak and tired.  But it was so exciting!!!  I was on top of the double-decker bus and it was hot.  I had on sunscreen and wore Bren's little white and pink cap.  What a blast..............  Everyone checked on each other to be sure we were handling the heat well.  I just had to be on top, it was too thrilling to sit downstairs.

We were 130 out of 330+ in the parade and the bands were getting down, everybody was happy and it was a tremendously blessed day.  We had to pass by smoking barbecue pits (yum) and tables set up with food, all the way through the streets.  What an awesome turnout!!

On the bus there were those who donated their organs and those who received organs or blood plasma.  This one white man received the heart of a 14 year old black boy who was shot in the head, but the young man's organs saved 4 lives, and the man said the boy's picture sits right in his living room.  He had his transplant 10 years ago.  God is always good.  One lady gave a 4 yr old part of her liver and the little girl is 10 yrs old now; they see each other every week.  The same lady give her uncle a kidney but he got cancer and passed away.  So many beautiful stories and beautiful people.

They fed us breakfast boxes before the parade... good food!!  Brenda took me to the meeting site and hung out for a while until they started distributing the breakfast and she left.  She met some nice people too.  Rhonda, my supervisor at Brotman, waited for me at the end of the parade and we went to lunch in Pasadena, then to a Brotman friend's wake unfortunately, then she brought me home and I near-about fainted!    So tired but fulfilled!!

I give God the glory for this truly memorable experience.  Last year everyone got drenched... it poured down rain.  I surely couldn't have attended that one.  I am excited and hope I can do it again next year.  I am thankful for those who made it possible for me to attend at Brotman - Janet and Rhonda, One Legacy - Stephen Hasty, and Donate Life - Ralph and Eunice Sutton.  It was such a great honor for me.

Thank you all for your encouragement.

Best wishes to all, 

jo ann "
  

THANK YOU JO FOR INSPIRING SO MANY AND HONORING US ON THE DONATE LIFE KINGDOM DAY FLOAT.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO REGISTER AS AN ORGAN,EYE AND TISSUE DONOR.  CALIFORNIANS PLEASE VISIT DONATE LIFE CALIFORNIA AND REGISTER TODAY!