Last season we started a new tradition with the Carolina Hurricanes. Before the team takes the ice we have a celebrity, season ticket holder, corporate sponsor or fan sound the Hurricanes warning siren to bring the team on to the RBC Center ice.

Jon Chase

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Over the past few years we have had some well-known individuals including Super Bowl Champion Bill Cowher; wrestling great Ric Flair; Miracle on Ice member and 1980 Gold Medalist Jim Craig; NFL players including Carolina Panther Steve Smith; former Hurricanes players such as Bates Battaglia; Senator Elizabeth Dole; Ryan Newman and fellow NASCAR drivers; a variety of Olympians and more. 

While the name of the siren sounder on January 28th may not ring a bell, John Foley is truly a hero and a life-saver. Foley made a sacrifice that many would not be willing to do. He donated his kidney.

The act of donating a kidney speaks for itself. But what stands out even more is the kidney did not go to one of his two children or even a family member.  Foley’s sacrifice was part of an intricate donation chain that involved a total of 16 people. Foley had originally tried to donate his kidney to best friend Kaaren Johanson, but the two were not a match.

With the help of many, Foley became involved in a chain in which he donated his kidney to a patient in Oklahoma City and Johanson received an organ from someone in Detroit.

Instead of trying to paint the total picture and do this story justice, check out the full details from a very well done article published in the News & Observer.

Please join me in welcoming John at Thursday’s game.

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