Donor Meeting 2011

It finally got here. We look forward to the MORA meeting each year in April. With my brother being a donor, this is our one day a year to celebrate his life and what he chose to do when he was just 16 years old. Last year, April 2010, was a very good meeting but this year's meeting was AMAZING! This is gonna be a pretty long post but It's a good one.

On the way, we stop at the rest stop half way for the smookies to smoke.  lol  While we were stopped, I always have to take a few pics.  :)

Me and Cayla

Mama and Ricky

I like this little monument.

We were then on our way to the Bancorp South Convention Center where the meeting was held.  We got lost and went a few interstate exits to far but we made it just in time.  As we walked in the door, I found this place to be absolutely beautiful!

This is just a big present wrapped because being a donor or donor recipient is the biggest gift of life. 

The HUGE balloons.  They were beautiful.  I loved them.

Beautiful decorative flowers in the entry way.

After walking into the conference room, we noticed several boards displaying photos of donors and recipients.  I scanned to see Jay's pics and there were 3.  This is one of the boards full view.

Their is one of Jason's pics.  White shirt with tie and kakhi's.  This picture was taken when he was in the 6th grade.  He was principle in the school play.  :)

Their's Bubba Jay again.  Green and yellow Brooklyn shirt.  I miss that face soo much.  :(  What would I give/do to get to see it one more time.

Side view of the Conference room.  Beautiful..Huh?

again...

This is Jason's slideshow.  I love and miss you baby brother!

Last year, Mother and Ricky both went up and recieved Jason's memorial gift but this year Ricky went alone. 

Could you imagine this being the ONLY thing left u get to do for your child?

This is the gift.  It's BEAUTIFUL!  It say's, "May it be said that when the sun sets on your life...You made a difference!!"  BEAUTIFUL saying because there are people living in the world today just because Jason died.  He HAS made more of a difference than u and I will ever know.

When the ceremony was just about over we went outside to let go of the balloons we have wrote notes to or our lost loved ones.

Look at them go.  RIP Bubba Jay!

This is the one from last year.  "April 2010"

This is this years..."April 2011"

Look at the difference in the sky on those two seperate days on two seperate years.  It's amazingly beautiful.  I wish and hope everyone that reads this knows what a blessing it is to have a loved one that was able to make such strong impacts on the lives of others with his passing.  He is and will be missed forever!!! 

RIP Jason Allen Sparks

10/08/90-10/17/08

Donor Meeting 2010

This post has lots of pics.
April 25, 2010 was a sad but exciting day. Mama, Ricky, Jessica, and I went to Tupelo Mississippi for the Mississippi Donor Meeting they have once a year. We didn't know what to expect so we were in for an emotional day. Once we found the collage we were supposed to be at, we decided to go for some lunch. We went to a mexican resturant where we met our cousin Chasity who lives in Tupelo.


After eating lunch, it was now time to head to the Meeting. There were soo many people there. Who would have know there really are a good many donors in this world. No matter the number we have to this day we still are in desperate need for more. I become a donor when I was 16. I chose to have this on my drivers liscense so when I pass hopefully I can some someones life. Well, that is also what Jason done. As he got his drivers liscense he has the same idea I did and today he has saved 3 lives. Im soo proud of you brother. This is a pic of us standing beside the sign b4 walking into the building.
When we walked into the door, we were given balloons to write a message to our beloved loved one. Here are some pics during that time.


Jessica and I decided to share what we wrote on our balloons. The top two pics are mine and the last two are hers.



After everyone got done with their messages on their balloons we all gathered outside for a brief message from Mr. Waterman b4 the letting go of the balloons. Here are a few pics from that part of the ceremony. This was also a sad time aswell. We all just stood around with eachother watching as the balloons got out of sight.





After the balloon part, we all went back inside to our seats. Mr. Waterman introduced a woman speaker and a male speaker along with a woman who sang a few songs. We just didn't know we were in for a sad hour of true stories. One being a man who recieved a transplant from a donor that was just a teenanger like my brother was. It was soo heartfelt. He was just a single father who one day was outside playing with his children and working to make a living for them to the next day looking for a transplant. I forgot what his transplant consist of but it was soo nice that I was able to hear the side of the recipient with me being the family of a donor. Here is a pic of him while he was telling his story to us.

Next was a situation kinda like the one I live with today. The next speakers were a man and a woman that lost their beloved son. He was an all around kinda boy. He was a firefighter, loved in his neighborhood, and throughout his hometown. He was killed in an automobile accident with his friend that was with him lived to tell what happened. They were an emotional mess while trying to tell the story but they done a great job. Here are a few pics from that aswell.


When the speakers were done it was then time for the Mississippi Donor's slideshow and the presenting of the Donor Awards to the familys. Here are a few pics of Mother and Ricky recieving Jason's Awards.




Im sure you are soo glad this blog is finally over.. I just have a few more pics to share with ya. We had refreshments b4 leaving and Jessica took some pics in the car on the way home. Enjoy until next time!!

18 Year old Donor

As I sit here and watch Ture Life {I need a transplant}, I am saddened so badly. I hate to see people like this.. But on the other hand, I am so proud of my brother Jason.. On his death, October 17, 2008, he saved a mother of 2 and a young man's life. Isn't it AMAZING??? I absolutley hate that my brother isn't with... us anymore, but in his passing, he has saved lives...lives of complete strangers!!So glad that I'm also a donor!!! If you are NOT a donor, you should be. It's a wonderful thang.. When you are gone, you can't use your organs, so why not let someone else use them???? Here is a pic of the Donor Pin that Jessica and I recieved from Jason being a donor. I will FOREVER cherrish this..
On this particular show, A 13 year old girl had to have a kindney transplant and her daddy was the donor. Now, a few years later, the kidney has just about stopped workin so she is having to have another transplant. Her mother is the donor this time. It's so sad, but I'm glad her parents were able to help her. The other story is about a man that has just got married and then in the same week found out he has leukemia. He has a friend that is willing to share his bone marrow with him..Isn't that soo sweet. That just a friend would risk their lives for you to live also. That is a loyal and great friend.