LATEST NEWS

Deputy Surgeon General
Dr. Kenneth P. Moritsugu,
Olympic Medalist
Snowboarder Chris Klug
Lead Float Riders.

22 Float Riders to Ride
Inaugural Float 

    2004 Coalition on Donation Rose Parade Float Rider

    Mike Jones

    Kidney recipient
    Los Angeles, CA
    Age: 43
    Occupation: Systems Analyst
     



    Mike's chance meeting with fellow float rider Patricia Abdullah at a personal development seminar inspired her to donate a life-saving kidney to him. As part of the program, Patricia prompted Mike to make "an unreasonable request" of her. It took a few minutes for Mike to ask the question she wanted to hear: "Will you give me a kidney?" To which she replied, "Yes."

    According to doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the only way they could have been a closer match was if they were born identical twins from the same cell—remarkable considering that Patricia is Caucasian and Mike is African American.

    The surgery was originally scheduled for September 11, 2001, then was rescheduled for two weeks later. Patricia credits her employer--who had just recently hired her--for postponing her first day of work.

    Mike launched the One Miracle Celebration of Life Foundation in 2003.

     

     



    Mike Jones and Patricia Abdullah