A Filipino American who didn’t know if he would be alive to see 2014 ushered in the New Year by participating in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, (file photo by masherwould) reports ABS CBN.
Arthur Joven Reyes waved to parade goers from the Donate Life float along with the family of the man who donated his heart to him, Justin Oliveria.
Oliveria died in a motorcycle crash in 2010 and the family decided to donate the heart to Reyes who had been looking for a donor for five years.
“Hearing the word heart failure was a death sentence for me and I was being worked up for a transplant for about 5 years, and finally 2010, I was able to get my second chance at life,” said Reyes. “A donor, Justin Olivera, he passed away and his gift gave me a second chance at life and I was able to do so much more,” he said.
Finding a donor can be particularly hard for Asian Americans. You can read about that and the first time Reyes met the donor family on ABS CBN.
LATEST STORIES
