MEDICINE
N AT U R E + C ULT U R E
THE CREATIVE HEART OF F LORIDA
TOGETHER WE PASS IT ON
Discover the art and inspiring stories of
A.E. BACKUS, the FLORIDA HIGHWAYMEN,
and an enduring legacy to pay it forward
A.E. Backus (American, 1906-1990), Spanish Bayonets, c.1960.
Harold Newton (American, 1934-1994), Poinciana, c.1960
Wednesday-Saturday 10-4
Sunday 12-4
Closed Monday & Tuesday
A . E . B A C K U S M U S E U M & G A L L E R Y
500 N. Indian River Drive | Historic Downtown Fort Pierce
772.465.0630 • www.BackusMuseum.org
@AEBackusMuseum
Summer Hours:
Saturday 10-4 & Sunday 12-4
through mid-August
74: SPACE COAST LIVING | SPACECOASTLIVING.COM
TOM STOKES
In 2021, just four years after he had received his liver transplant, Stokes completed
the Spartan Trifecta, a five-challenge obstacle course. He has two new
passions in his life: a dedication to living and thriving with a new liver, and
continuing to promote awareness for organ donation.
“On July 8, 2017, I packed a bag and drove to Clermont to
participate in a sprint distance triathlon,” he said. “It was
around 10 p.m. that evening I received a call from the Orlando
Transplant Institute and a matching liver had been found.
“I hung up and immediately dialed Deb. Thankfully she was able
to book a red eye flight back to Orlando as the transplant was
scheduled to take place at noon on Monday, July 9, the next day.”
ON ROAD TO RECOVERY
Two days later, Stokes was moved to the transplant recovery
floor and survived the initial impediments, little sleep, noise,
pain and all that goes with surgery.
On July 12, Stokes decided to try and break a record for the
number of laps around the transplant floor in 24 hours. Eight
laps equaled a mile and the record was 26 laps.
“By the end of the day, with Deb’s help, I had completed 40 laps,
5 miles, and I was told it was, indeed, a new record,” he said.
The next day, Stokes took on his next challenge — a trip to the
first floor cafe and then a walk around the lake.
“I chose to take the stairs, determined to climb up 12 floors,
back to my floor,” he said. “By the time I reached floor six, I was
too winded to continue and rode the elevator back.”
It was then he began to accept that he was going to be running
a marathon, not a sprint — at least for a few days.
He was discharged July 14 and began his power walks with a
plan to push, rest, eat and repeat. Rapid improvement in his
daily routine and pace proved he was on the comeback trail and
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