Tom Dolan, a Reno native and donor hero, will be honored nationally when his story is featured in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.
Nevada Donor Network, in collaboration with Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries, is hosting the Dolan family for the Rose Parade events from December 29 to January 2.
On January 1, Dolan’s floragraph, a portrait made from floral and natural materials, will be displayed on the OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade Float alongside other donor heroes from across the country. Las Vegas donor hero Jordan Brister will also be featured on the float.
Dolan, founder of Dolan Auto Group, built a career in the automotive industry that now represents more than 600 employees and their families. Known for his forward-thinking mindset and determination, he underwent a lung transplant and double bypass surgery in 2016. A registered donor, Dolan gave back the gift of healing he received by becoming a cornea donor, restoring sight to two people after he died in 2024.
Brister spent much of his life in organized sports, including baseball, football, soccer, and track. Following his death at age 18, he donated organs, eye,s and tissue, saving three lives. His family now works with Vegas for Athletes, a nonprofit that promotes heart screenings to help prevent sudden cardiac arrest.
Currently, more than 100,000 men, women, and children in the United States are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Thousands more need tissue or cornea transplants to restore mobility or sight. One donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation, heal up to 75 lives through tissue donation, and help restore sight for up to two people.
The OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade Float unites the nation’s donation and transplantation communities with a message that reaches tens of millions of viewers.
