Iowans to be Celebrated on 2026 Donate Life Rose Parade Float
PASADENA,CA – Two Iowa women will be recognized for their profound impact on organ and tissue donation when the 2026 OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade float travels down Colorado Boulevard on New Year’s Day. The Iowa Donor Network (IDN) announced the honorees, representing both the gift of life through organ donation and the selfless act of living donation.
Natalie McCleary, a late organ donor from Fruitland, Iowa, will be memorialized with a floragraph portrait on the float.April Wilson McCleary, of Denver, Iowa, a two-time living donor, will walk alongside the float during the parade.
The IDN recently held a private Rose dedication Event on November 15th at Groundswell Café in Cedar Rapids, allowing friends and family to honor loved ones with roses that will adorn the float alongside thousands of others. The event served as a tribute to the life-saving impact of organ and tissue donation.
The families of both women will travel to Pasadena,California,thanks to a donation from the Gerdin Family Foundation.
“We are incredibly proud to honor Natalie and April,” said a representative from the Iowa Donor Network.”their stories exemplify the generosity and hope that define the donation and transplant community.”
Individuals interested in learning more about the Iowa Donor Network and registering as an organ and tissue donor can visit www.IowaDonorNetwork.org. Further details about the 2026 OneLegacy Donate Life Rose Parade Float are available at donatelifefloat.org.
