Heroes on Foot: The Cheetah that Left his Footprint Behind

LifeLine of Ohio | Megan Lynch
A family photo of Ian’s father Christopher, Ian, Chrisitan and Megan taken one month before the accident.

I remember the first time I saw Ian. He was five years old with curly blonde hair, a mini version of his father. Ian and his dad were passing me in the hallway at our workplace. Ian looked at me with big blue-green eyes and then, in a flash, ran to catch up with his dad.
Ian’s dad and I married in 2006 and even with Ian’s asthma, I would learn that running was a constant theme in his life.

Eight years later, after a horrific electrical accident while on vacation in Virginia, Ian was pronounced brain dead at the hospital. Ian’s dad told me he wanted to donate Ian’s organs. The strength of mind Ian’s father had in that moment to pass hope on to others in need while his heart was torn to pieces is something I am still in awe of to this day. On July 23, 2010, Ian became an organ and tissue donor.

After Ian’s memorial service here in Ohio, his aunt mentioned perhaps organizing a 5K in Ian’s memory to honor the inner “cheetah” athleticism Ian showed. Many expressed interest but as a stepmom I felt the task was too daunting for us. Less than a year later, it was someone at work who brought the idea alive by passing along a flyer to me about the Dash for Donation. A perfect fit, I showed the flyer to Ian’s dad and we agreed to put together Team Cheetah to honor Ian’s love and success of being active. To us, the countless people who registered for our team were like people repeatedly saying, “I remember Ian.” 
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"You have the power to SAVE lives." 
To register as a donor in California: 
www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org | www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org 
Outside California: 
www.organdonor.gov | www.donatelife.net

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