SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- After saving the lives of four strangers, a San Diego organ donor will be honored in the Rose Parade.
Loved ones describe Alessandro 'Ale' Speroni as a vibrant, loving, and selfless man.
"Ale is, still is, a ray of light in a dark day. He was always smiling, always having a good word for everybody," said Francesca Messori, Speroni's good friend.
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Speroni, 41, was born in Italy but fell in love with San Diego on vacation and never left.
Here he also fell in love with his wife Dana, who was a customer at his coffee shop.
"His smile was just captivating, he was an amazing listener, he was full of life," said Dana.
Ale passed away unexpectedly, suffering a brain aneurysm while surfing.
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He was in the hospital for five days so his organs could be kept alive.
"His heart kept on beating because he knew it was going to someone special," said Dana.
Ale was a registered organ donor, and Lifesharing carried out his final wishes by finding recipients for his heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas.
"Losing a loved one is very hard; there are no words that can really describe that. But to know that a piece of him is still out there, to know that he gave people a second chance at life, that's just a miracle," said Dana.
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Dana, along with her brother and Messori, spent over nine hours creating a floral portrait of Ale, which will be featured on the Rose Parade Lifesharing float.
"I'm going to be ecstatic to see this beautiful man just driving by and for the whole world to see what a gift he gave to four people," said Dana.
Dana hopes her husband's story will inspire others to give the gift of life.
