Slain Police Officer to be Honored on Organ Donor Float in Rose Parade

On April 4, 2009 at 36 years of age, Paul Sciullo II and two other Pittsburgh police officers met their untimely deaths at the hands of Richard Poplawski in Stanton Heights, Pennsylvania.

Sciullo’s passion for making a difference in the world had led him to become a police officer and a registered organ donor. His service to others did not end when his life did because his organs were used to save others.

The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is sponsoring a memorial floragraph portrait of Sciullo that will appear in the 2015 Rose Parade on a float which honors organ donors.

On Tuesday, finishing touches were put on the floragraph by the Sciullo family at CORE, where family and Pittsburgh police Sgt. Charles Henderson and Kevin Acklin, chief of staff for Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto spoke of Sciullo’s impeccable passion and work.

Sgt. Henderson, Acklin, family members, and CORE representatives were at the program float to give a few words. Living kidney donor of Charleston, JoAnne Burka attended. Burka is serving as a Donate Life float walker during the parade, along with 12 other living donors.

The theme of the 2015 Rose Parade float is “The Never-Ending Story,” fitting for Sciullo, as he continues his legacy in helping others even after his death. The float will feature 60 butterflies—representing each life that may be transformed by just one deceased donor—rising from an open book.

The 2015 Rose Parade presented by Honda will launch on January 1st at 8 a.m. For more information on the program and list of events, please visit tournamentofroses.com.