LLUMC Transplant Patient Works on Parade Floats

The paid staff and public information officers at the Loma Linda University Medical Center contributed the following article.

Loma Linda University Medical Center transplant patient, Ernesto Bravo, spent the day in Pasadena decorating Donate Life’s parade float on Thursday, Dec. 27. The 13-year-old received a kidney transplant at LLUMC when he was five-years-old.

“It’s really neat to be here. Donate Life gives people hope,” said Bravo while he cut flowers alongside his 18-year-old brother, Arturo. Bravo’s mom and dad, Rosario and Arturo, Sr., also joined their sons to decorate the float for the day.

Rodolfo Barajas, the brother of Bravo’s donor, Gabriel, joined in on the float decorating efforts as well.

“I consider Ernesto a brother, and his family are like a second family to me,” Barajas said of the Bravo family. Ernesto will be one of 32 transplant recipients riding on the Donate Life float during the 2013 Tournament of Roses Parade on New Years Day. He will be riding next to the “floragraph” of his donor, Gabriel.