Honoring Roxanne Watson with the Key to the County

This past week, I had the great honor of presenting Rockland County’s highest and most prestigious award, the Key to the County, to a truly remarkable woman — Roxanne Watson.

The Key to the County is not something we give out often. It is reserved for individuals whose lives reflect courage, purpose, and an extraordinary impact on our community. Roxanne embodies all of that and more.

In 2010, Roxanne received the gift of life — a heart transplant. Many would have been content to simply move forward after such a life-changing moment. But Roxanne chose a different path. She asked herself, “What can I do for others?,” and has been continuing to answer that question every single day since.

Since receiving that precious gift, Roxanne has dedicated her life to organ donation advocacy, ensuring that others have the same chance she did. Through her tireless efforts, she personally signed up nearly 14,000 people as organ donors through LiveOnNY when we first chose her for this distinction in Spring of 2025.  

Roxanne underwent a second heart transplant this past summer and despite recovery being  even more difficult the second time around, she continued signing up more donors during her recovery – pushing her donor numbers over 14,000.

There aren’t enough words to describe someone potentially saving +14,000 lives – behind each one is a story of hope, families staying whole, and futures secured.

We were joined at the ceremony by some very special guests who have shared in Roxanne’s journey, including Scott Wohl, Vice President of Community & Public Affairs at LiveOnNY, and Dr. William Jakobleff of Montefiore Health System, who was also Roxanne’s surgeon. Both of them offered touching remarks about the power of organ donation and Roxanne’s unwavering commitment to spreading the word.

Roxanne’s story is not just about survival. It’s about gratitude, determination, and turning personal challenges into a mission to serve others. She has shown us all what it truly means to live with purpose and to give with generosity.

On behalf of the people of Rockland County, I want to extend my deepest congratulations to Roxanne. Presenting her with the Key to the County was one of the proudest moments of my time as County Executive. Her legacy will continue to save lives and inspire us all.

If you haven’t yet, I encourage you to consider becoming an organ donor. As Roxanne has proven, one decision can make all the difference in the world.

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