Tournament of Roses float to honor Louisiana man

As floats filled with flowers ride through Pasadena, Calif., for the annual Tournament of Roses, the northwest region of Louisiana will be represented. Local Ricardo “Buck” Brown saved four lives through organ donation, and he will be memorialized on the 2017 Donate Life Rose Parade Float through a floragraph.

Brown’s mother, Bonita Wilson, will travel to Pasadena to join her son’s floragraph on the float, joined by her daughter and niece. The Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency (LOPA) is funding Wilson’s trip. LOPA serves as the organ and tissue donation organization for the entire state.

“We’re on site for our families, giving them support,” said LOPA Professional Educator Ashley Davis. Davis previously worked as a family advocate, leading her to Wilson. Brown was involved in a trucking accident at age 23 and was a registered organ donor.

“I was on call that night and met her in April 2011. I talked with her through the process. She was happy to honor his wishes,” Davis said.

Davis said that Wilson, a Logansport native, has become a champion for LOPA and organ donation in general, volunteering, speaking at events and promoting the organization.

“She’s a very giving person. She gives her time. She gives so much love to everybody. She’s absolutely someone you could talk to easily. I’ve worked with a lot of families over the years. She’s always been someone that I’ve been able to rely on,” Davis said. In 2013, Wilson decided she wanted to meet some of the people affected through her son’s donations. She met Dwanda Muse, who received a kidney from Brown.

“When they met, it was like instant family,” Davis said. Muse, a Baton Rouge resident, will also travel to Pasadena to ride on the Donate Life float.

According to LOPA, about 2,000 people are waiting for a life-saving organ donation in Louisiana alone.

“The main goal of solid organ transplantation is to help the patients to regain their health so that they can become productive again in their communities. Solid organ transplantation has many advantages; for example, when a patient undergoes kidney transplantation, the patient will no longer require the costly and the inconvenient hemodialysis,” said professor of surgery and director of WK/ LSU Regional Transplant Center Dr. Gazi Zibari.

A common fear or myth surrounding organ donation is that if a patient is a registered organ donor, the medical team will not work to save the patient because they may want the patient’s organs.

“No physician wants to lose his or her patient because by losing our patient, we feel we have failed. More importantly, two physicians who care for the patient have to declare the patient brain dead. These physicians must have no relation with transplant centers,” Zibari said. “LOPA will take over patient care only after the patient has been pronounced brain dead and family has given the consent and our patient is in the registry as an organ donor.”

Not only did Brown save four lives through organ donation, but he also was able to enhance over 70 lives through tissue and eye donation.

“If God gave his only begotten Son, why can’t I? Because of Buck’s wishes to give back, lives were saved and changed in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. I thank God that Buck lives on,” Wilson said.

“We’re really encouraging people to become registered donors and talking with your families about what you want. Have that conversation about what you want for yourself and for your loved ones. There’s no cost to families for donation. You can still have an open casket. It doesn’t change your appearance, and all major religions support donations,” Davis said.

Watch the 2017 Donate Life Float at the Rose Parade on Jan. 2 at 8 a.m. Check your local broadcast schedule for information.

— Tara Bullock