Liver Transplant Recipient Shines at Rose Parade’s ‘Treasure Every Moment Together’ Float

Celebrating resilience and hope: Christian Gomez’s inspiring story at the parade highlights the life-changing importance of organ donation

In a vibrant celebration of life, hope, and new beginnings, Christian Gomez, 18, a young liver transplant recipient from Watsonville, California, took center stage on New Year’s Day at the 137th Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. His heartwarming journey from medical adversities to triumphant participation on the OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade float exemplifies resilience and the lifesaving impact of organ donation.

The Donate Life Rose Parade float featured lush, tropical visuals with hornbill birds, monarch butterflies, and treasure chests symbolic of life’s cycles. Christian and other organ recipients rode in canoes, a testament to teamwork and the transformative power of donation. His presence on the float underscored the call to action—encouraging public participation in organ donation through rose dedications and inspiring donors nationwide.

“It was so cool and exciting to participate in the Rose Parade and to represent as a [child] liver transplant recipient—it meant the world to me,” said Christian. “Riding on the Donate Life float symbolizes the hope and joy that organ donation brings into our lives, and I’m honored to share my journey with everyone.”

Christian’s journey

Christian’s participation in the parade marked a poignant milestone in his remarkable health journey. His early years were fraught with challenges—he was born prematurely and diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare liver disease requiring an urgent liver transplant, at just 9 months old. In an incredible act of love and sacrifice, his mother, Maria Gomez, donated a portion of her liver, granting Christian a second chance to grow up healthier. This initial transplant empowered him with 17 years of cherished memories and experiences.

However, destiny had more plans for Christian—in 2024, his doctors at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health told him that his liver condition had resurfaced, and he required another transplant.

“Christian’s need for a second liver transplant isn’t unusual when considering the natural progression as he matures from a child to an adult,” said Marc L. Melcher, MD, chief of the Division of Abdominal Transplantation at Stanford Medicine. “His first transplant successfully supported him through crucial developmental years, and it’s often inevitable that a second transplant becomes necessary as the child grows. Christian’s story is a powerful example of how living-donor liver transplants can offer a lifetime of opportunities and renewed hope.”

After Christian waited for a year, a compatible deceased donor was offered to him in May 2025, ushering in a new chapter filled with dreams, ambitions, and, importantly, health.

“I am profoundly grateful for the anonymous donor who gave my son this third chance at life,” said Maria Gomez. “Seeing him thrive after his second transplant fills my heart with hope and gratitude—it’s a testament to the miraculous impact of organ donation.”

Spreading awareness

Christian’s journey and the celebration around it highlight an ongoing challenge: the pressing need for organ donors in California, where over 20,000 individuals linger on transplant waiting lists. Stories like Christian’s emphasize the urgent call to action to increase registered donors and explore the profound lifesaving impacts that organ, eye, and tissue donation can bring.

Last year, Christian was able to highlight the need and message by celebrating his 18th birthday at a San Francisco Giants game against the San Diego Padres as the Play Ball Kid. This moment was part of the 26th annual Donate Life Day, the longest-running organ donor awareness event in professional sports.

Through continued efforts and awareness spread by organizations like Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and Donor Network West, there is hope for many more narratives of healing and dreams fulfilled, like Christian’s exemplary story.

“The parade and every milestone Christian has made remind us that organ donation isn’t merely saving a life—it’s gifting futures, dreams, and shared moments,” said Dr. Melcher. To learn more about becoming a registered donor, go to donornetworkwest.org.