TOLEDO, Ohio — Twenty people die in the U.S. every day waiting for an organ transplant, including one Ohioan every day, according to Life Connection of Ohio.
The organ donation advocacy group once again teamed up with WTOL 11 for the 24-hour Donate Life Green Chair Sit-In that began on Wednesday and went into Thursday.
During those 24 hours, we encouraged more people to register as donors so there will be fewer empty chairs.
"We can't let the chair go empty," Kara Steele, the director of community services at Life Connection of Ohio, said.
The purpose of the green chair sit-in is to take a stand -- by taking a seat -- on the importance of organ donation.
As people rotated in and out of the chair, they shared their stories about how organ donation touched their lives.
"I'm lucky to be here. It's a miracle. It's an absolute miracle," George Mullan said. He received a heart transplant in 2018.
Mullan brought a framed pictured of an EKG with him to the sit-in. "This is the first EKG that I had after I got the heart and my family had an artist rendering of it. So every day when I walk out. I remember, this isn't my EKG. This is the donor's EKG," Mullan said.
Mullan doesn't know who his hero is, but during the sit-in other donor families spoke about the pride they take in their loved ones for changing lives even through tragedy.
Russ and Kathi Flew lost their son, Dylan, in 2006. His picture is featured on Hyway Trucking Company's fleet of more than 400 trailers, traveling millions of miles encouraging people to be a hero like Dylan and donate life. In his death, Dylan saved five lives and helped heal dozens more through tissue donation.
"People I don't even know will find us on Facebook and send us a message saying they found that poster and then they go and research it and reach out to us about his story and want to know more," Kathi said.
There are also living donors like Sue Miller. She gifted Macel Gibbs, who she didn't even know, a kidney.
"I don't know where I would be today, if I would even be here without a transplant," Gibbs said. "But I'm here and have a wonderful life."
She wasn't done giving. "Two years later on April 2, I donated a portion of my liver to a nine-month-old little girl," Miller said.
It's the 13th year WTOL 11 has partnered with Life Connection of Ohio for the green chair sit-in.
Each year, Kara Steele, daughter of K100's Harvey J. Steele, has taken a seat to take a stand. She now works for Life Connection of Ohio.
"I got to spend 20 extra years with my dad thanks to a life-saving liver transplant," Kara said.
Click here to learn more about organ donation and to register to become a donor.