2 Killed When Plane Crashed Onto Them Memorialized

VENICE, FL - A tragic plane crash that took the lives of a man and his young daughter as they were enjoying an afternoon on a Florida beach last year paved the way for many other lives to be saved.

Ommy Irizarry, 36, and his daughter Oceana, 9, left the “gifts of organ and tissue donation” behind, LifeLink of Florida noted in announcing the two would be honored in the 2016 Rose Parade. The Irizarrys and 58 other organ, tissue and eye donors from all across the country will be remembered and memorialized during the New Year’s Day celebration in Pasadena, Calif. Their “floragraphs” will appear on the Donate Life float, which is scheduled to make its 13th appearance in the annual Rose Parade.

“Along with floragraphs depicting individuals who have saved lives through donation, transplant recipients who have received donated organs or tissue will ride the float on the parade path, and the float is accompanied by living organ donors who have given a kidney or part of another vital organ to someone in need,” LifeLink explained in a news release.

Ommy and Oceana were selected for the memorial “because they represent every individual who gives the gift of life to help others, and their family is every family,” Betsy Edwards, LifeLink of Florida’s spokeswoman, told Patch. “The loss was unexpected, the pain of the loss is unimaginable, but even during their worst moments this family chose to spare someone else similar pain by saying yes to saving lives.”

The Day That Changed Everything

It was July 27, 2014, and Ommy and Rebecca Irizarry were celebrating their ninth anniversary.

Before heading to Casperson Beach in Venice, Ommy took a few moments to reflect on his marriage and his life for his wife. He shared his thoughts on Facebook. Little did he know those words would become his last love letter to his beloved wife.

“Today, 9 years ago, I tied my life to my beautiful wife, Rebecca Irizarry,” Ommy wrote on his Facebook page. “I am very happy and can’t wait to see what the next 100 have in store for us.”

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Shortly after those words were posted, the couple and their children headed out for a day of sun and fun.

As the family was enjoying the beach, pilot Karl Kokomoor, 57, was radioing the Venice Airport to let air traffic controllers know there was a problem with his 1972 Piper Cherokee. The trouble, officials reported at the time, was so bad, he said he was going to bring the plane down on Casperseon Beach.

While Kokomoor and his passenger, David Theen, 60, both of Englewood, escaped injury, the Irizarry family wasn’t as lucky. The plane came down, striking both Ommy and Oceana. Ommy died at the scene. Oceana passed away a few days later.

“Planes just don’t fall from the sky, let alone fall from the sky on my family on one of the best days of our lives,” Rebecca Irizarry was quoted by LifeLink as saying.

On that day, however, a plane did fall from the sky, challenging Rebecca to honor husband’s wishes. As an Army veteran and a licensed practical nurse, Rebecca had discussed end-of-life issues with her husband. Ommy, a career military man, a sergeant, made his wishes in regard to organ donation clear.

“That day and the days that follow seem like a blur, although every choice I made was informed and deliberate,” Rebecca recalled.

“Yes, of course. This is one hundred percent what he wanted,” Rebecca told LifeLink, “and although my sweet angel at nine-years-old was never introduced to the idea of organ and tissue donation, it is what she wanted as well. Through this entire experience, it was the easiest decision to make.”

Oceana ultimately helped save the lives of three people. The gift Ommy left behind benefited dozens of others, LifeLink reported.

How to Give the Gift of Life

LifeLink is a nonprofit organization that facilitates organ and tissue donation in west Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than 120,000 people are currently awaiting life-saving organ transplants in the United States, the agency noted. To find out more about organ donation, visit www.LifeLinkFoundation.org online.

How to Watch the Rose Parade

The annual Rose Parade coincides with the Rose Bowl game. This year’s celebration will be broadcast starting at 8 a.m. PST on Jan. 1, 2016. Networks signed on to air the event include NBC, ABC and Univision, according to the Tournament of Roses website. As of November, parade officials tallied 44 float entries signed up to participate in the 127th Rose Parade. The Donate Life float, memorializing the gifts given by Ommy, Oceana and dozens of others, will be among them.

Photo of Rebecca Irizarry and Ava Irizarry, 7, and the floragraphs of Ommy and Oceana courtesy of LifeLink