Flushing woman to be posthumously honored
Stephanie Jimenez Hernandez will be remembered for life-saving organ donation at Rose Parade
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
A Flushing woman whose
generous spirit made her vocal
about organ donation, will
be honored by Dignity Memorial
Providers of New York City
as an organ donor on the 2019
Donate Life’s “Rhythm of the
Heart” float at the 130th Rose
Parade in Pasadena, California
on New Year’s Day.
Friends and family honored
Stephanie Jimenez Hernandez,
who passed away at the age of
27 in March 2011 following a car
accident, on Dec. 8 at Frederick
Funeral Home — located at 192-
15 Northern Blvd. in Flushing.
Hernandez’s family added
the finishing touches to her
floragraph portrait, which is
made of floral and natural materials
such as flowers, seeds
and beans. The floragraph will
be featured among 43 other portraits
on the float honoring the
lives of organ donors, and raising
awareness of the importance
of life-saving organ donations.
“She was an extremely creative
and artistic person herself,
so to know that her legacy
is being carried on in such a
beautiful meaningful way, I
think she would have nothing
but great things to say and feel
about it,” said Adrian Lopez,
Hernandez’s brother.
Hernandez’s wishes to be
an eye, tissue and organ donor
were honored, and her family
finds peace in knowing their
beloved daughter and sister
continues living on in those
impacted by life, including the
organ and tissue recipients and
their loved ones.
“To be able to honor her in
this magnitude, and how important
it is, and how many people
will see this, means a lot to us,”
said Rose Ann Morgan, Hernandez’s
mother. “Many people will
see her story, and she’ll touch
different people and somewhere
maybe spread and have them
Hernandez’s family (from l. to r.) Mother, Rose Ann Morgan; Sister, Katherine Edwards; Brother, Adrian Lopez; Sister, Jaqueline Morgan.
Photos by Carlotta Mohamed
register as donors.”
The Tournament of Roses
Parade precedes the Rose Bowl
Game on New Year’s Day. The
parade is known around the
world for its colorful, flowerlined
floats celebrating an array
of themes.
The float upon which Hernandez
will be honored highlights
the musical diversity and
rhythms of Africa, which ties
in with this year’s Rose Parade
theme, The Melody of Life, celebrating
the power of music in
bringing people together.
“What bigger way than in
this parade and for so many
people to see her face, name, and
know that she gave back to this
world in the way that she has,”
said Morgan.
During her life, Hernandez
was generous and high achieving.
She graduated with honors
from Winston Churchill High
School and attended the University
A floragraph of Stephanie
Jimenez Hernandez that will be
featured among 43 other portraits
on the Rose Parade Float
in Pasadena, Calif. in January.
of Texas at San Antonio.
She later developed an interest
in real estate and pursued a career
in property management,
earning a Certified Apartment
Manager (CAM) designation
through the San Antonio
Apartment Association.
“She was boisterous and
loud…she laughed the loudest
in the room,” said Morgan.
“She was very empathetic.
She wore her emotions on her
sleeve and was very extra. She
always had everyone laughing
and extremely protective of her
siblings.”
Morgan is currently studying
to become a funeral director
to help other families cope
with the grief of losing a loved
one. She is also an administrative
assistant at Dignity Memorial
Providers of New York City,
and thanked the company for
honoring her late daughter.
“I’m very blessed and grateful
to my company and all of
our colleagues,” said Morgan.
“Thank you for your support.”
Dignity Memorial Network,
North America’s largest
network of funeral, cremation
and cemetery service providers,
supports Donate Life and
its Rose Parade float gives Dignity
Memorial associates and
additional way to celebrate the
gift of life through an organ
donation.
On average, 18 patients die
every day while waiting simply
because the organ they needed
did not become available in
time, according to Bill O’Brien,
of Dignity Memorial Providers
of New York City, which will be
honoring four people this year.
“As professionals in the funeral
service industry, we believe
in the importance of celebrating
life; most importantly,
the life stories of the families we
serve, and for the first time this
year, the story of a fellow teammate’s
family,” said O’Brien.
Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed
by e-mail at cmohamed@
cnglocal.com or by phone at (718)
260–4526.
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St. Mary’s Photos..........................................5
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