TAMPA, Fla. — This weekend, Florida and Georgia renew their football rivalry. Normally, it's unheard of for fans of either team to switch sides, but I found one exception.
Megan Twist was killed by a drunk driver in 2016. She was only 23. Megan signed up to be an organ donor just four months before she died. Seven of her organs helped save the lives of five different people. One of the recipients decided he needed to start cheering for another team after he got another chance at life.
Jacksonville native Richard Bremer was a diehard Florida Gators fan, and he received both of Megan's lungs. Megan, a native of Athens, GA was an equally dedicated Bulldogs fan. Bremer immediately decided to switch allegiances as a way to honor Megan's memory.
"Grief is a roller coaster journey," Megan's older sister, Carolyn Hostetler, said via video chat. "But I think finding purpose in my sister’s loss is what’s helped my entire family heal."
Carolyn continues to live that purpose. She moved to the Tampa Bay area shortly after her sister's death. She made a career pivot and joined the team at LifeLink of Florida, dedicating her career to the field of organ donation.
"This certainly gives me a renewed joy every day," Hostetler explained. "To wake up and go be an advocate for those that are needing those life-saving transplants."
Carolyn said she'll never forget the first time she met Richard after the transplant.
"We all got to take turns listening to her lungs breathe again inside of him," she recalled with a smile. "There are no words to describe it. Knowing that her life meant something saving his life. Giving him new life has just been an incredible thing to witness. "
"He said when he found out he had Bulldog lungs inside of him, that was it. He had to get rid of all of his Gator gear, and he now cheers on the Dawgs," Hostetler recalled. "And I have to say, since the transplant, I think his fandom has helped us bring in two national championships. So we are very grateful to have him on our side now."
Allowing others to live on is how Megan's legacy lives on. And that's why Carolyn is so proud of her sister.
"She was my baby sister, but I look up to her more than I could even describe. I’m extremely proud of her. For her to make that decision at such a young age, it’s just such an honor to be able to carry on her legacy, and her light just continues to shine."
ESPN is running a feature story spotlighting Carolyn and Richard's experience Saturday morning on ESPN College GameDay. The 102nd match-up between Florida and #2 Georgia kicks off from Jacksonville at 3:30 pm on ABC. It was announced this week that the 2026 game will be played in Atlanta, and the 2027 game will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa due to scheduled renovations at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville.
