Gene Ushiroda was a sound engineer, auto mechanic and talented musician who could play several instruments with ease. He was also, in the words of his wife Deborah, "a wonderful husband and a very humble man." When Gene died suddenly of a hemmorhagic stroke at age 53, he became an organ donor. Ironically, his donation occurred just one week prior to his niece Mari's job interview with Organ Donor Center of Hawaii, where she is now Family Services Coordinator. Honoring Gene in this year's float has extra-special meaning for the entire Ushiroda family.