Four weeks before she died, 16-year-old Kelly Nachreiner made a snap decision that saved three lives and became her legacy.

She chose to become an organ donor.

Nine years later, Kelly — along with 38 other organ, tissue and eye donors —  will be honored in the 120th Rose Bowl Parade as part of the national advocacy group Donate Life America's float.

Sitting in her Sauk City home Nov. 10 with a cup of coffee, Kelly's mom Mary Nachreiner told a story she has told many times — to reporters, to legislators, to students — over the past nine years.  

Mary began, "I had taken her to the DMV right here in Sauk."

This was in 1999, Kelly had just turned 16 on Dec. 4, and during the process of becoming a legal driver, the question of whether she wanted to be an organ donor came up.

"Like most parents, it was something we'd never talked about," Mary said. "But in her very simplistic way, Kelly said, 'Of course, why wouldn't I?'"

A few weeks later, on Dec. 29 Kelly was the passenger in a friend's pick-up truck.

The truck careened off Freedom Road and into some trees in the town of Honey Creek.

 The driver was un-injured, and although Kelly was wearing her seat belt, she was severely injured when her head struck the back window of the truck.

She was taken by MedFlight to UW Hospital, where she died a few days later on Jan. 4 — exactly one month after her 16th birthday.

Mary recalled that at the time, she said, "Once you go through something very devastating, anything you can do to help someone not go through that — that's a gift Kelly gave us."

Kelly's pancreas, kidneys and liver all were transplanted. Mary said knowing Kelly's wishes before the tragedy was a blessing.

"It gave us some hope at the darkest time you can have," Mary said.

Although Kelly's decision to donate her organs saved three lives, it was a legislative bill her story inspired that would become her legacy.

After reading about Kelly and her decision in The Capital Times, UW-Madison nursing student Robert Trim turned his undergraduate honors project into a push for organ-donor education modeled after Kelly's decision.

Trim got approval from the Nachreiner family, and his efforts contributed to then-Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson signing the "Kelly Nachreiner Bill" into law in 2000.

"I was told that it was the fastest-passed legislation in Wisconsin history," Mary said. "It was the first bill of its type in the country."

The bill required 30 minutes of instruction in organ donations during driver's education classes.

"All of my family was here for the signing," Mary said.

She said once the reporters had left and the cameras were turned off, Thompson still was interested in Kelly and her story.

"He took my brother aside and said, 'Tell me about Kelly as a person.' He's just always been very caring."

When Thompson was United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, he continued championing organ donation and Mary said she kept in touch with him.

After Kelly died, Mary took three years off from working, leaving her jobs as a part-time teacher at Sauk Prairie High School and physical therapist.

She now works for the UW Health Organ Procurement Organization. After encouragement from her colleagues, Mary recently nominated Thompson for recognition from Donate Life as one of 14 luminaries in the field of donation.

Mary said Donate Life contacted her, telling her Thompson was unanimously selected and his name would appear as a star along with the 13 other luminaries on the organization's float in the Rose Bowl Parade.

"Somehow the connection between Gov. Thompson and Kelly was made because of the bill," Mary said, adding that Donate Life decided Kelly deserved to be honored.

Kelly's likeness will be featured in the form of a floragraph — a portrait made of flowers — on Donate Life's float.

"She was a fun, fun girl but a typical girl," Mary said. "Kelly made one kind, giving decision, and the ripple effect continues to amaze me — that's her legacy."