By Jennifer Theurer
Chad Stacy, Olathe, died in a car crash in 2017. The father of two served in the Marines after high school and was well known for helping others. That continued even after his death as he was a registered organ donor. Between his donated tissue, tendons, heart valves and both corneas, he enriched 157 lives.
KWCH’s Thomas Lynch recently reported that Stacy’s donation will be honored during the Rose Parade New Year’s Day on the Donate Life float from One Legacy. He will be one of 29 floragraphs, photographs recreated using flowers and plants, on the float. All of the floragraphs are in honor of organ donors and Stacy was nominated by Midwest Transplant Network. His mother, Linda Isaac, has worked closely with Midwest Transplant Network since Stacy’s death and credits the organization with helping her cope.
“It’s brought so much healing to our lives,” Linda said. “The pain has softened, and I think it’s because of our involvement with Midwest Transplant Network.”
Linda remembers the phone call when she found out that her son would be honored with a floral memorial on a Rose Parade float. Last month, Stacy’s family got to help complete the portrait.
“This has just been a dream that we could come here, and I was so surprised and just in shock,” Linda said.
“As strange as it sounds, after almost eight years, now going to be nine years next month… Even though it was a portrait or a picture that we’d seen hundreds of times, it was a new picture just because of the way it was done,” said Donnavon Isaac, Stacy’s stepfather. “I’m not sure how to explain it to somebody that hasn’t gone through that, but just to see a portrait that was different and it was new, was very exciting.”
The Isaacs encourage everyone to register as an organ donor through sharelifemidwest.com. The family also hosts a wiffle ball tournament in Olathe every October to honor his life and inspire others to become organ donors.
“Chad’s life didn’t stop on that side of the highway when he died,” she said. “Through this, it’s continued and he’s even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with one of his recipients.”
