2018 Melissa Owen

Melissa Owen

Organ donor

Age 38 ~ Little Rock, AR

donated on 12/26/2014

At University Hospital of Arkansas

Honored by Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency

Melissa Owen’s life was surrounded by color and animation. As a graphic artist, she enjoyed all the sights and sounds of movies, dance, and theatre. She grew up practicing competitive ice-skating, modeling, achieving academic and leadership goals, and participating in school cheer and dance spirit squads. Spending quality time with her young son Wesley and pampering her two dachshunds completed her life. Sadly, on Christmas Eve 2014, a brain aneurysm, quickly followed by a serious stroke, took Melissa’s life at the age of thirty-eight. She had signed up as an organ donor at her local DMV, and a decision that seemed so natural to her resulted in a tremendous gift for three young women, who received Melissa’s heart and lungs. A couple of years later, Melissa’s family met Yolanda, Melissa’s heart recipient, and since their first meeting they have created an instant bond and united the two families. Both Yolanda and Melissa will be honored in the 2018 Rose Parade float.

Melissa’s Story

Enriched by the magic of Disney, Melissa Owen’s life was surrounded by color and animation. As a graphic artist, she enjoyed all the sights and sounds of movies, dance, and theatre. Youthful years were spent in competitive ice-skating, modeling, academic and leadership achievement, and as a member of school cheer and dance spirit squads. And, always, her “comfort place” was on the beach at the ocean. Yearly family trips placed her on that emerald sea coast known as 30A! During football season, you could hear that Arkansas girl dressed in her red and white, “Callin’ Those Hogs!” Spending quality time rearing her own young son Wesley and pampering her two dachshunds completed her life.

But then, on Christmas Eve 2014, a brain aneurysm, quickly followed by a serious stroke, took her life from here on Earth at the age of thirty-eight. However, as a future blessing to someone who might someday find him or herself in need, she had signed as an organ donor while obtaining her first driver’s license. A decision that seemed so natural to her resulted in a tremendous gift when three young women received Christmas-time calls that a life-saving heart and two healthy lungs were now available to them. Young women as far east as New York and as far west as Arizona and, then, remarkably even right here in her hometown Little Rock, were all able to carry on Melissa’s legacy of giving to and sharing with others as they began their own now healthy lives.

As fortune sometimes provides, one day a letter was received, a call was made, and a joyful meeting with Melissa’s heart recipient was arranged, creating an instant bond and uniting two families of a now healthy young single mother of two. As a family, we are blessed to now be known as Donor Parents, a term that at one time was hard to accept. Melissa—as are all organ, skin, and tissue donors—is a true hero to us as well as a representative of a great mission and blessing for so many others. We greatly thank ARORA, the Arkansas Family Donor Council, and Donate Life/OneLegacy for the many rewards and opportunities they have offered us. Our job now is to continue the message set forth by donation and the missions of these amazing organizations.