Stockton woman who donated 60% of liver to mother honored at Rose Parade

Stockton woman Raquel Armstrong was in Pasadena after she was given the trip of a lifetime. Armstrong, a California DMV employee, was selected to be honored on New Year's Day at the annual Rose Parade, representing liver donors.

It's approaching the 10th anniversary since Armstrong donated 60% of her liver to her mother, Rena, in September 2016, after she was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver.

"It's amazing to be able to see that she has a second chance, because there was no hope for my mother at one point without a transplant," Armstrong said. "And she wasn't high enough on the transplant list to receive one. So that's when I got to be able to have the privilege of stepping in to be a living donor."

Fast forward to today, Armstrong says her mother is thriving. She's had the opportunity to see her grandkids and great-grandkids grow up. Armstrong offered encouragement to those who may be inspired by her story.

"I would hope they would educate themselves on donation, and not to give up on certain things, find out, and get different opinions," she said. "...It was a struggle for me. I didn't know about donation, so that's why I became an ambassador to where I can talk about donation and inform people before it's in a critical state."

Donate Life California CEO Jim Martin told CBS Sacramento that the DMV is where they get 95% of organ donor registrants and that this is a way they can honor DMV employees for the work they do, honoring two people from the DMV each year to be part of the Rose Parade experience with One Legacy sponsoring the float, bringing organ donors from all over the country together.

"They're the local order and procurement organization down here in Los Angeles, so we really appreciate their support for everything that they've been doing," Martin said. "They bring together a group from all over the U.S. of living donors, donor families, and it's kind of neat because they're all able to tell their stories to each other and they all can relate."

Martin also offered encouragement to anyone who may be hesitant to sign up to be an organ donor.

"I'd say, make the decision that's best for you," Martin said. "And we would hope that you would consider registering as a donor, because I think most people would be OK with accepting an organ for donation if they needed one."

Martin said that there are 20,000 people on the waiting list for organ transplant in California, with more than 100,000 across the U.S. For Martin, this is personal.

"I have a family connection with donations," Martin said. "A close cousin of mine, she needed a double lung transplant. So, she was able to receive one, and…she wasn't able to live past five years with the double lung transplant. But I know the time that she had, with her boys and her husband and her family meant a lot to her and to them."

In Pasadena on Monday, Armstrong went to see the float, the decorations and construction that goes into the Rose Parade floats.

She has already made new "lifelong friends" who are part of the organ donor community who are also in Pasadena. 

If you're watching the Rose Parade from our coverage area, you'll be able to see Armstrong walk alongside the Donate Life float.

• Organ Donor
• Stockton