SPEEDWAY, ind. (WTHR) - A race car driver’s giving spirit lives on in two people who received his gift of life.
Bryan Clauson died in a midget car crash two years ago. The USAC National Midget Championships run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Thursday. The two grand marshals who will wave the green flag are transplant recipients.
Once received Clauson's heart, the other his lungs.
Both men, ages 65 and 29, are from Nebraska, including Dan Alexander, a military veteran who now follows the race circuit promoting organ donation.
"Bryan is a hero to me and a hero to a lot of people. He didn't leave me behind and I think God and I think Bryan every time I think about that," said Alexander, who received Clauson's heart.
“Bryan definitely lives on, not only in those he helped with his gift of organ and tissue donation, but also just buy the gifts he gave us every single day by being a good person," said Clauson's sister Taylor McLean.
McLean said her brother's organ donations saved five lives and his harvested tissue helped 75 people.
Hey race fans!! Indianapolis 500 Motor Speedway hosting the USAC midget series !!! 100 drivers signed up! It’s is so cool. Here is the start of a heat race
Posted by Dave Calabro on Wednesday, September 5, 2018
The group Driven2SaveLives is a sponsor of Thursday's midget race. The organization, which encourages organ donation, was founded by the racing community.
"If the last thing you do while you are checking out here on earth and you wonder, 'What was my life all about? Did I make a contribution that made a difference?' Well that’s organ donation. You make a difference to the people you save. You make a difference to their family," Alexander said.
If anyone needed affirmation that Clauson was looking down over the "Driven2SaveLives BC39" Wednesday, they just needed to look up at the double rainbow that lit up the sky over the backstretch at IMS.