YOU’RE INVITED TO CELEBRATE the gift of life at the Hero Hustle 5K on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at Dana World Headquarters campus in Maumee!
Life Connection of Ohio, the non-profit organization that serves families and saves lives through organ donation, and Solvita (formerly Community Tissue Services), the non-profit organization that serves families and heals lives through tissue donation, are partnering together again for this awareness event. The goal of the Hero Hustle 5K, now in its 10th year, is to strengthen support, education, and recognition of organ, eye, and tissue donation in Northwest Ohio.
Liver transplant recipient Allie Herr is counting down the days to the Hero Hustle 5K. Allie was a very sick baby. She was born with biliary atresia, a rare disease that blocks the flow of bile from the liver to the gallbladder. Her life was consumed with countless medications, injections, feeding tubes, and central lines. Her skin and the whites of her eyes were extremely jaundiced. She had a huge, distended abdomen with tiny extremities. Allie’s body was shutting down, and she was in desperate need of a liver transplant. “She had absolutely no quality of life,” Allie’s mom, Jenny, said. “It was an emotional rollercoaster.”
Allie used sign language to communicate because liver failure caused developmental delays. At two years old, she weighed only 15 pounds and she would sleep up to 20 hours a day because her energy was nonexistent. “The hope for a liver diminished, and I was preparing myself to lose a child. Death was literally knocking at our door,” Jenny said. “Every night, we would put her to bed and pray for just one more day with her.”
Everything changed on January 21, 2006. After one year and nine months on the waiting list, twoyear- old Allie received a life-saving liver transplant.
When Allie woke up after her surgery, the first thing Jenny noticed were the bright whites of Allie’s eyes—they were no longer jaundiced. As Allie recovered, her energy and appetite increased, her abdomen was no longer distended, and she started walking and talking. “It was amazing. It was like life was coming back into her every single day,” Jenny said.
Fast forward 17 years, and Allie’s energy supply is seemingly endless— just like her gratitude for the gift of life. “It’s unbelievable to see how sick I was back then and how healthy I am today. Without organ donation, I would not be here,” Allie said. “If I met my donor family, I would give them a big hug. Obviously, the words ‘thank you’ are not enough, but my family and I are forever grateful for my second chance at life.”
Without the incredible generosity of her donor hero and their family, Allie would not be alive today. She looks forward to showcasing the power of transplantation at the Hero Hustle 5K.
Another family who experienced the flip side of donation also looks forward to participating in the Hero Hustle 5K. Brook Peterson had a way with people. The outgoing Bowling Green High School senior had countless friends and possessed a unique ability of making everyone feel comfortable around her. Brook’s mother, Jean, said her daughter easily made connections with a variety of people. “She didn’t care who you were, what you looked like, what you did—if she liked you, she liked you, and she would be there for you no matter what,” Jean said.
Brook also made an impact on the softball field. With more than 10 years under her belt, Brook’s main position was catcher, but she had the talent to play first base, second base, shortstop, and outfield, too.
Brook’s father, Dave, admired Brook’s athletic ability as well as her intelligence. “She would sit in math class and get upset when her teacher couldn’t get the lesson across to the class,” Dave said. “The teacher would say to Brook, ‘If you can do it better, go ahead,’ and she would. Brook helped her classmates understand it.”
Brook thought she was smart when she tried to sneak her way into a bigger allowance. She earned money by doing laundry. Since she was paid per load, instead of doing three regular loads, she would spread it out into six small ones. It didn’t take long for her parents to catch on. “She was such a trip!” Jean said.
One night, Brook wanted to go to a friend’s house for a bonfire, but Dave told her she couldn’t go because it was too late and too far. The next day, he went to talk to Brook about it, and she said with her palm in the air, “Dad, the discussion is over. I’m done.” Dave wasn’t surprised by that response because he said Brook always had to have the last word.
August 22, 2008 is a date forever engrained in the Petersons’ memory. Brook was on her way to meet with her guidance counselor when she got into a car accident and passed away. But in true Brook fashion, she had the last word. That day, she saved three lives through organ donation.
Dave and Jean are grateful that their sociable, stubborn, generous daughter continues to make a difference, and they are excited to celebrate Brook’s life-saving legacy at the Hero Hustle 5K. “Organ donation gives us something positive to lean on when times get rough,” Jean said. “Brook touched a lot of people.”
To say “yes” to saving lives through organ donation, visit lifeconnection.org. To register for the Hero Hustle 5K, visit davesraces.com. Kara Steele is Director of Community Services for Life Connection of Ohio. ✲
