Honoring Two Grandchildren’s Legacies; a Local Grandfather will be Recognized at Aug. 19 Reno Aces Game

RENO, NV (Aug. 15, 2022) — Anthony Lyson was 18 years old when he died from a severe allergic reaction to tree nuts in 2017. His cousin, Frankie Lynn Young, passed away at 10 months old in 2012 after being born prematurely and experiencing health complications with her breathing. Anthony saved five lives through organ donation and Frankie saved three. Both were the grandchildren of Reno local, David Lyson.

David will run the bases at the Reno Aces’ Home Run for Life game, presented by Donor Network West, after the second inning, Friday, Aug. 19, at Greater Nevada Field as they take on the Salt Lake Bees.

David has owned and operated a print shop for nearly 34 years in Reno and extends his passion as a community leader to organ donation advocacy, speaking with high school students and DMV groups about his grandchildren and their life-saving gifts.

“Frankie was an incredible little girl,” said David. “And Anthony was such a wonderful young man; a 4.0 student who loved numbers and wanted to become an aeronautical engineer. He was so excited when he got his driver’s license in the mail saying, ‘Look, I got my license and I got my red heart!’”

One donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and up to 75 lives through tissue donation. More than 600 Nevadans are on the organ transplant waiting list.

Donor Network West, northern Nevada and northern California’s federally designated non-profit organ procurement organization, is proud to support six Home Run for Life baseball games throughout the 2022 season. The partnership brings critical awareness about organ donation to the community and its sports fans. This will be the fifth Home Run for Life game of the 2022 season.

“David continues the legacies of Frankie and Anthony by sharing their stories – the Donor Network West team is immensely grateful to David and his family for their continued advocacy for organ donation,” Janice Whaley, President and CEO of Donor Network West, said. “Our partnership with the Reno Aces is just one of the many powerful ways we honor the gifts of donors and their families and give hope to those on the waiting list.“

The 2022 season is the first time Donor Network West and Reno Aces have partnered to showcase the Home Run for Life program. Once a month, brave individuals and families in the northern Nevada community are honored by taking a ceremonial trip around the bases, with each team lining the baselines. Individuals honored have received life-saving transplants or have lost a loved one who saved lives through organ donation.

“Honoring everyone who’s been impacted by organ donation at Greater Nevada Field has created incredibly powerful moments throughout our season,” Eric Edelstein, President of Reno Aces and Greater Nevada Field, said. “Seeing our community rally around organ donors and their families has been so special. We look forward to continuing our support of Donor Network West’s community outreach and educational efforts for organ donation.”

Anyone can register to be an organ donor. To learn more and to register as an organ donor, visit DonorNetworkWest.org.

— @MyDNWest —

Media note: If the media would like an interview with David Lyson ahead of the Friday, Aug. 19 Aces game, please contact Jena Esposito, [email protected], 702-513-0606. Photos of Lyson’s grandchildren, Frankie and Anthony, are available for download here.

Photo cutline: Donor Network West and the Reno Aces will honor the family of David Lyson at the Aug. 19 Home Run for Life game. David’s grandson, Anthony Lyson, was 18 years old when he died from a severe allergic reaction – he saved five lives through donation. David’s granddaughter, Frankie Lynn Young, passed away at 10 months old after being born prematurely and experiencing health complications with her breathing – she saved three lives.

About Donor Network West

Donor Network West saves and heals lives by facilitating organ and tissue recovery for transplantation and research. The organization was established in 1987 and is an official Donate Life organization accredited by the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) and the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB). Federally designated to serve 45 counties in northern Nevada and northern California, Donor Network West has headquarters in northern Nevada and California and partners with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the state-authorized donor registries. For information, visit DonorNetworkWest.org and follow us on social media: @mydnwest.

About the Reno Aces
Since 2009, the Reno Aces, Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, has been a fixture in the Northern Nevada community providing family-friendly entertainment and Minor League Baseball in downtown Reno at Greater Nevada Field. Over the past 14 years, over 4.5 million fans have passed through the turnstiles, and the Aces have contributed to thousands of different non-profit charities throughout the region. For more information about the team or tickets for the entire 2022 season, visit RenoAces.com or Text TIXX to 21003.