Riding For Life: Wisconsin man will end 2,000-mile bike tour at Broward Health Medical Center to support organ donation

Riding For Life: Wisconsin man will end 2,000-mile bike tour at Broward Health Medical Center to support organ donation

Bill Conner Cycles Cross Country in memory of his late daughter, an organ donor

From Amy Erez

      FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – After traveling more than 2,000 miles on his bike, Bill Conner will arrive on Monday, July 10, 2017 at Broward Health Medical Center ‘s (BHMC) finish line. It will be located on the corner of Southeast First Avenue and Southeast 14 Street. This will end the Wisconsin man’s cross country journey, which he embarked upon to create awareness for organs, eyes, and tissue donation in memory of his late daughter Abigail “Abbey” Mae Conner.

Doctors, nurses and other staff members at BHMC along with the local South Florida Donor Programs, and other members of the donation community will be giving Conner a hero’s welcome as he pedals into the final stop of his multi-state journey, called “Abbey’s Ride for Life” which began on May 22.

Conner recently had the opportunity to meet the young man who received his daughter’s heart. Loumonth Jack, Jr., is a 21-year-old Louisiana resident who was in heart failure due to a viral infection. On Father’s Day Conner arrived in Ventress, LA., where Jack awaited. The two embraced and Jack handed Conner a stethoscope so that Conner could listen to his daughter’s beating heart.

Loumonth received special permission from his transplant surgeon to travel to BHMC and will participate in the special event to create awareness for organ, eye and tissue donation

in memory of his heart donor, Abigail “Abbey” Mae Conner.

Conner embarked on the journey to raise awareness about the lives that could be saved if more people followed his daughter’s legacy of organ donation. Her organ donations saved four lives, restored the beauty of sight for two people and enhanced the quality of life for 31 people through her gifts of donation. On his trip Mr. Connor made stops along the way to share his story, and urge people to register online to become organ, eye, and tissue donors. He has also set up a Facebook page so people could follow his journey, and a GoFundMe page to raise money for Donate Life America, which has already raised more than $13,000.