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Thousands participate in Donate Life Run/Walk raising awareness of organ donation

Thousands participate in Donate Life Run/Walk raising awareness of organ donation
Thousands participate in Donate Life Run/Walk raising awareness of organ donation 03:05

Thousands of people gathered in Azusa Saturday for OneLegacy's 20th Annual Donate Life Run/Walk aimed to bring awareness of organ donation. 

The 5k event at Azusa Pacific University was expected to take place from 8:30 a.m. through noon. Registration was available on-site for $40 per participant. 

Rosie Rios, one attendee, shared that her daughter passed away at the age of 29 and donated all organs. 

"It is with mixed emotions obviously but honoring her wishes when she made that decision at 16 years old. So we're honoring that," she said. "I am volunteering and I am also advocating especially for the Hispanic community to register and become an organ donor because there are a lot of people out there that need our organs." Rios shared that her daughter was killed on January 2, 2021 due to gun violence. 

CBS reporter Tena Ezzeddine was on hand to speak with donors, families of donors and recipients, who all shared how meaningful events like this one are to them. 

"You wake up with this whole renewed feeling of life. When I left hospital, I'm looking at how blue sky was, how flowers are green -- things that used to upset me didn't upset me anymore because I had a second chance," said Erika Heranic, a heart recipient. S

She was at the event with Dana Stump, whose son Dylan's heart was donated to Heranic after he died in a car accident. The two now act as ambassadors for OneLegacy, knowing the positive effect donors can have. 

"It's been a really healing thing for me to be a part of this organization and just remember Dylan in all the ways that we do," said Dana.

"I donated because of a genetic kidney disease that runs in my family, and I donated a kidney to my brother," said another attendee, who noted that her sister was also a recipient and both were doing well. 

"Living donors live a perfectly normal life, and continue to do what they do prior to donation," she added, clarifying that despite common fears that donors suffer from health complications after donating their organs, it's usually quite the contrary. "I live a healthy, normal life."

About 5,000 people were expected to take part in the event. For more information, click here

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