Community Corner

Northridge Organ Donor to Ride on Rose Parade Float

A mother of two from Northridge who donated one of her kidneys last year to a man she had never met is being recognized with a chance to take center stage on a Rose Parade float.

Karen Willis' selfless act saved the life of Joe Felix, a fellow Southland parent of two.

"It was on my bucket list to do something great, something substantial for someone else that I didn’t know. A pay-it-forward kind of giving,” she told the Daily News.

On New Years Day, Willis will ride atop a float sponsored by Donate Life, a nationwide coalition that encourages more people to register as organ donors.

However, the road to the transplant surgery was a tricky one. Click here to read more about her experience.

Also, Willis was featured on a recent documentary about organ donors called, "The Chain." It's attached to this story via YouTube.


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