Sparta youth to be remembered in Rose Parade

By Laurie Gordon
SPARTA — A floragraph finishing event was held at the home of Tom and Kylen Anderson, in Sparta, on Tuesday evening to honor the memory of their son, Isak C. Anderson. The floragraph will be displayed as part of the Donate Life Float at the 128th Rose Parade on January 2nd in Pasadena, California.
Family and friends paid a special tribute to Isak and his life by decorating a custom floragraph, which is a portrait made of floral and natural materials. The floragraph is a way to honor Anderson and raise awareness of the need for organ, eye and tissue donors. The 14-year-old’s organs saved the lives of patients waiting for their second chance.
Isak died suddenly and unexpectedly last summer of a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). His mother, Kylen Anderson, said, “We had no warning, it was just very sudden. I think that awareness of HCM should be more prevalent. Looking back, perhaps I would have seen some warning signs, but we just didn't know about HCM. Most people do not.”
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is associated with thickening of the heart muscle, most commonly at the septum between the ventricles, below the aortic valve. This leads to stiffening of the walls of the heart and abnormal aortic and mitral heart valve function, both of which may impede normal blood flow out of the heart. Many peole with HCM have no symptoms. Symptoms can occur at any age and may include: chest pain (with exercise or after meals), shortness of breath, fatigue, fainting and palpitations (fluttering in the chest) or sudden death.
While in Goryeb Children's Hospital, in Morristown, the Anderson family was approached and asked if they would like to donate Isak's organs. “I think organ donation is something I've always embraced,” Kylen Anderson said, “We were asked by the hospital and in addition to a lot of doctors and nurses they have involved, there are a lot of caring people in the hospital to help you deal with the situation.”
Tuesday night saw family and friends see Isak's floragraph and celebrate his life at the Anderson home. “The two people who worked on the floragraph hold organ donation near and dear to their own hearts which was important to me,” Anderson said. “One is a 'donor mother' which means her daughter gave her organs and the other was a liver recipient. It was very meaningful to our family and we hope to get to meet them when we go to Pasadena for the parade. Tuesday was a celebration of Isak and that he was able to save lives and it was also nice to be able to spread awareness of how successful an impact organ donation can have."
Joe Roth, President and CEO of the NJ Sharing Network said, “This gathering at the Anderson home was a great tribute to Isak and also educates people as to the importance of organ donation and the charitable gift that was given by the family in the tragedy of Isak's passing.”
In addition to Isak's floragraph, two others from New Jersey will be on the Donate Life Float in the Rose Parade. Zoe Jackson, of Newark, and Courtney Bayback, of Holmdel, will also be honored from New Jersey and 60 floragraphs from around the country will adorn the float to help spread awareness of organ donation.
Isak's floragraph is being sponsored by Dignity Memorial, North America’s largest provider of funeral, cremation and cemetery services. Dignity Memorial providers care for more than 300,000 families each year and understand the importance of thoughtful, personalized arrangements.
Both of Isak's kidneys, his liver and his corneas were donated through the NJ Sharing Network. “I would love to meet the recipients one day,” Kylen Anderson said. "I really hope that someday I will.”
Isak C. Anderson passed away on July 2, 2015. He was a recent graduate of the Sparta Middle school, loved music, sports, ASU football, lacrosse, skiing and especially his family and his best friend, his father. He is survived by his loving parents, Kylen and Thomas Anderson; devoted sisters, Ellen and Elizabeth "Liz" Anderson; grandparents, John Crosby and Karen Crosby, and Isak's dogs, Clyde and Gator.
Isak is also a hero for the lives he saved by donating his organs.
The NJ Sharing Network is a non-profit, federally designated organ procurement organization committed to saving and enhancing lives through the miracle of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. To become a donor and for more information, visit: <URL destination="http://www.njsharingnetwork.org ">www.njsharingnetwork.org