CLEVELAND — With the memory of her brother in her heart and her plan of action in her head, Jessica Corea-Federico is ready to take organ donation awareness to new heights.
For the second time, Corea-Federico is participating in “Over the Edge”, an annual fundraising event that sends organ donor families and supporters rappelling down the side one of Cleveland’s tallest buildings.
The event is hosted by Lifebanc, a northeast Ohio organization that facilitates organ eye and tissue donations and helps support donors and their families.
“The event is absolutely super special to me and so is Lifebanc,” Corea-Federico said.
Corea-Federico’s brother was both an organ transplant recipient and a donor.
“At the age of 13, he received his life-saving liver transplant,” she said.
And at the age of 22, her brother, Mike, died after a tragic accident.
His wish was to give the gift of life to others.
“You never know whose life you’re going to save, whose life you’re going to heal and it’s not just one life,” Corea-Federico said.
Helmet and harness on, her family watching, Corea-Federico was ready.
“I am feeling amazing right now. I can just feel the presence of my brother and all my loved ones with me. I’m just so excited to do this,” Corea-Federico said.
She came 23 floors up and then went 23 floors down.
Each participant fundraised for months leading up until this moment. They raised almost $100,000 to put on more organ donation awareness events and for a donor family bereavement fund.
Corea-Federico is hopeful that she played a part in bringing awareness to the 1,700 people in northeast Ohio waiting for a life-saving organ donation.
“The adrenaline kicked in and I just wanted to make sure that, again, for my boys and for my brother’s story, that people knew what was going on and saw this event so that the awareness was out there,” she said.
