ROCK ON!
for Bill Bostelman
If you have found this page you have mostly likely found one of our painted rocks!
This rock is in honor of our dad Bill Bostelman who was taken from us on January 23rd, 2023. My dad was able to save over 100 lives with this heart, kidney, eye and tissue donations. Our time may have been cut short ,but his heart was filled with so much love it is still beating on for someone else; All because he was an organ donor.
Below is the story of our dad, our experiences with Donate Life.
CLICK HERE to post your photo on the national Donate Life Rock Painting Facebook page!
If you would like to share directly with our family, upload a photo of where you found your rock with a little message below!
Keep the rock with you for as long as it feels right, then place in a new location in your hometown or on your next trip for someone else to discover.
THANK YOU for participating in Organ Donor Awareness!
This whole idea is in honor of our dad William (Bill) Bostelman.
First let us talk about the man of honor, Bill Bostelman. He was a husband to Angela, and father to my sisters Cheyane, Cheznee, and myself (Madison). My dad was the life of the party; always making sure you were fed & taken care of. A heart too big for his body, and a laugh you could hear and recognize from across the room.
Dad was a veteran of the Marine Corps. serving three tours in Iraq. He was one of the hardest working men I knew. He was always working and provided the family with whatever we needed. My dad loved music. All types but especially loved 80’s/Hair Bands. He was a bald-headed beauty, but when he wanted to rock, he would put on a wig and bang his head! He was a ROCKer. (get it?)
The Cleveland Browns and OSU were Bill’s favorite teams. He had his barn painted orange & brown then decked out with Cleveland Browns memorabilia. He called it “The Dawg Pound.” He was a family man at heart. On most Sunday’s we would all get together as a family for Sunday Funday which usually consisted of a home cooked meal by Dad, while watching football or sports of some kind. Dad appreciated the little things and knew how to live in the present.
Unfortunately, in January 2023 our lives changed forever.
On the foggy morning of January 17th my dad was the first one up, got ready like normal, packed his lunch and left for work.
On his normal route to work Bill’s truck was hit by a woman who failed to stop at a stop sign. Dad’s truck was struck at the intersection on the passenger side. His truck slid and rolled 100 ft into a field. EMS arrived and transported him to ProMedica Toledo Hospital.
He arrived unconscious with a broken neck and a brain bleed. On the first day he received a brain operation to control swelling. The operation went well; the swelling was controlled. He was on a ventilator and being kept alive by machines. The following days we were hopeful with little information. Essentially praying for a miracle.
On Day 4 after many tests and minimal brain activity we were informed that his broken neck left him quadriplegic. If he woke up, he would have no control from the neck down. Our family all came to the same decision that those would be unbearable conditions for our father to live with.
On Day 6 we ordered his favorite Texas Roadhouse to-go for one last Sunday Funday dinner together in his hospital room. This is also the day we decided to honor dad’s wishes to be an organ and tissue donor. We were introduced to the wonderful nurses from Donate Life of Ohio.
One week after the accident on Day 7 his bed was rolled through the halls of Toledo Hospital for an Honor Walk. Which meant the hallways were lined with doctors & patrons of the hospital paying their respects to his life and for his donation. My mom, sisters, and I walked beside him all the way to the operation room. We were with him while he was pulled off the vent, and he took his last breath.
#DonateLifeofOhio was excellent when it came to managing our family’s situation. The nurses were caring, comforting, and informative when everything was such a fog for us all. Providing unique keepsakes for all four of us like a printed copy of his heartbeat and a recording of his heartbeat in a teddy bear. Also giving information about how to connect with our organ recipients when that time comes. As well as lots of information about the Donate Life community and donor awareness.
In April of 2025, our family was selected by Donate Life of Ohio as the guest of honor for the ProMedica Toledo Hospital flag raising ceremony for Organ Donation Month. My youngest sister Cheznee gave a heartfelt speech, all four of us raised the flags together, and we were featured on the local news. Our family has become involved with Donate Life of Ohio over the past few years to raise awareness about being an organ donor.
After becoming familiar with Donate Life and the things they do for families and community we stumbled upon Donate Life Rock Painting. Donate Life of Ohio hosts their own meet-up events where families can paint rocks to spread awareness. Our family wanted to put our own spin on things and make out own rocks that could spread awareness, honor dad, and his story, but also track there where abouts. So that is what inspired ROCK ON for Bill Bostelman!
