Remembering Bronson

A 25-year-old Troy man who died two years ago on New Year’s Day will be remembered during Friday’s Rose Parade for the gifts he gave as an organ donor.

Bronson Parsons’ family — his parents Paul and Carol Parsons of Troy and sisters Erin Leighty and Robin Cummings — personally decorated the floral image of Bronson that will be displayed with 76 others on the national Donate Life float honoring organ donors.

“It’s early in the parade — the fourth float,” Carol said Tuesday. “He’s the first Montanan honored.”

The family traveled to Pasadena, Calif., in early December to make the “floragraph” image and then again this week to help hundreds of other volunteers apply thousands of fresh flowers to finish the float Wednesday and today.

The tribute celebrates Bronson’s decision to become an organ donor. Through his gift, the 25-year-old left a legacy far greater than many who lived years longer.

“He was able to save six lives and enhance the lives of 30 people,” his mother said.

Bronson died from massive head injuries after he was struck by a vehicle in a Jan. 1, 2008 hit-and-run accident in East Missoula. His family had no qualms with agreeing with the organ donation option that Bronson had checked on his driver’s license.

Those first hours of shock, pain and grief remain forever etched in Carol’s memory.

“It gave us great solace to know Bronson’s wishes,” she said. “He wanted to save lives.”

It was no surprise to his family that his organ gift benefited so many. He was never one for half measures.

“That was the way Bronson lived his whole life — he did everything to the max,” she said. “He went full bore when he was interested in something.”

Snowboarding was his biggest passion, along with skiing that he started at age 6. An avid hunter, fisherman and hiker, Bronson also loved the adrenaline rush of cliff diving, bungee jumping and sky diving.

“He scared me to death,” Carol said with a laugh.

He was studying for his private pilot’s license and dreamed of learning to fly helicopters. In his teenage years, Bronson became an advocate of organ donation when a close family friend saved her 17-year-old daughter’s life with her gift, as a living donor, of a kidney.

“Bronson was very involved in that whole process,” Carol said. “That’s what gave him the idea of becoming a donor.”

Even after graduating from high school, he maintained a strong commitment to being a donor. His mother vividly remembers when Bronson returned from Portland to Montana six months prior to his death. He had been working in Oregon as a carpenter.

She and Paul went with him when he went to renew his Montana driver’s license and watched as he checked the organ-donor box. As of 2008, just a little over 60 percent of drivers in Montana had chosen that life-affirming option.

It was almost as if he had a premonition at the time.

“He was sitting next to me and said ‘Look mom, I’m an organ donor — remember that,’”  Carol recalled.

His mother, a retired elementary school teacher, and his father, a retired forest service employee, have since learned that Bronson’s donated organs helped people from their own backyard to as far away as Georgia. One coincidental meeting happened last fall.

A local friend of Bronson’s was hunting and approached a young man to ask permission to cross his land. After hearing he was from Troy, the young man asked if he knew Bronson Parsons.

“He said ‘Bronson was my dad’s lung donor,’” Carol said. “He lived 20 miles from our house.”

The two exchanged telephone numbers and the Parsons connected with the lung recipient.

The father of eight children, the recipient had developed lung disease from working at a mine. He had suffered for about 12 years with the debilitating effects of the disease.

After receiving, Bronson’s organ, he was able to return to hunting and other activities he loved.

“This was a total rebirth for him,” Carol said. “He feels a very big connection with our family now.”

She and Paul also connected with a man in Georgia who received one of Bronson’s kidneys. Carol said hearing these stories and their heart-felt gratitude eased their grief and helped their healing.

“We have read their letters over and over and treasured their phone conversations,” she said.

Bronson’s dedication to organ donation and compelling life story helped win him a place on the national Donate Life float in the New Year’s Rose Parade. Carol said the family enjoyed working together on the 16-by-20 inch rendering on the earlier trip to Pasadena.

They used all kinds of organic materials to fill a digitally enhanced and enlarged photo of Bronson.

“It was sort of like paint by numbers,” Carol said. “We were pretty happy with it. It certainly resembles him.”

She was anticipating a good time working with the other families, organ recipients and other volunteers in a mad rush to finish the float by New Year’s Day.

The family has reserved seats to watch the Rose Parade and cheer as Bronson’s image with the other donors floats down Colorado Boulevard and flashes across television screens around the world.

Carol loves the theme “New Life Rises,” celebrating the rebirth of lives like her neighbor’s thanks to Bronson.

“What a great idea, a phoenix rising from the ashes with photos of the donors on the tail,” she said. “We are so proud that Bronson made this decision ahead of time and wanted to give in this special way. It exemplifies his character as a very loving and caring person.”

People interested in making the same gift may do so by registering at www.DonateLifeToday.com.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com