COEUR d'ALENE - Marty Smalley wasn't the kind of man who liked the spotlight. He preferred to be behind the scenes, let others shine, instead.

"He always looked out for everyone else," said his daughter, Jessica Smalley.

Now it's his family's turn to share Marty Smalley's story.

The first "Marty Smalley Organ Awareness 5K Walk/Run" is set for 9:30 a.m. April 23. Jessica, along with mom Barbara Smalley, is organizing the race that begins and ends behind Michael D's Eatery.

With T-shirts, refreshments, friends, it promises to be a good time, something that Marty Smalley would have enjoyed - kind of.

"He wouldn't want us to draw whole bunch of attention to him," Jessica Smalley said. "I think it's OK since we loved him so much to name a run after him."

Marty Smalley fought heart disease his entire adult life, and was on the list for a heart transplant for two years before he died July 22, 2008. He was 62.

The Coeur d'Alene man worked in the timber industry, ran a sawmill construction business and loved the outdoors. He and Barbara raised four children in North Idaho.

Being active and athletic was a family tradition.

"Ever since I was little, my mom and I would do all the different races in the community," Jessica said. "I always enjoyed it."

That included the Leprechaun Scurry, Bloomsday, and the Spring Dash.

"My parents got me involved in things like this," said Jessica, who completed Ironman Coeur d'Alene in 2009. "They brought me up being active."

Since her father's death, she had been considering ways to honor his memory and bring awareness to the need for organ donation.

Brother Chris Smalley started the Marty Smalley Fathers Day Trap Shoot at Hauser Lake Gun Club. She wanted something different, and didn't have to look far to find it.

Running.

Nothing too demanding. Just a date, place and time where people could show up, run, then relax with family and friends. Thus, the Marty Smalley Organ Donation Awareness 5K Walk/Run was born.

"Emotionally, I think after three years, we felt it was a good time to give back," said Barb Smalley, Marty's wife.

She said the main reason for putting on the run is to promote organ donation.

Even if a person has it stated on their driver's license they're an organ donor, it should be discussed in advance, Barb Smalley said.

"I think it's really important that people mention it to their families because you never know when something could happen," she said. "If the family doesn't know that's the wish, often times organs aren't donated and that's what the person really wanted."

The need for organ donation is great, and what better month to focus on that than April, which is Organ Donation Awareness Month.

n 19 people die each day waiting for organ transplants

n 101,000 people are waiting today for transplant surgeries

n Each day, about 77 people receive an organ transplant.

Proceeds of the run will go to Lifecenter Northwest, which arranges organ donations and transplants in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Jessica, a 2007 Coeur d'Alene High School grad, found organizing a race wasn't as simple as she thought.

For a 5K course along Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive, the 21-year-old needed several permits and insurance. Refreshments, T-shirts, course measurement and finish line festivities are necessary.

And for all that, it's just $10.

"I have a lot more respect now for people who put on races," Jessica said, laughing.

She said she looked up to her father, and misses him.

"He was pretty much everything to me," she said.

Jessica described him as old school, tough, stubborn, honest, conservative. He had an "awesome heart" and was always taking care of the underdog.

"My dad did everything for me and took care of me," she said. "To me, he was perfect. I know no one is perfect, but even his flaws, when he made mistakes, he was perfect."

Most didn't even know her husband wasn't well, Barb Smalley said. He never talked about it.

"If you looked at him, you never knew he had a problem. He had an amazing attitude, he kept living right up to the end," she said.

Jessica will graduate this spring from Whitworth College with a bachelor of science in biology and a bachelor of arts in chemistry. She has been working at Fairwood Animal Hospital in Spokane and is applying to veterinarian school.

Since she been organizing the race, Jessica has spoken to organ recipients. One man who received a heart a year ago will try and be at the Marty Smalley run.

"Which is awesome. That's what we wanted," she said.

So far, only a handful have registered for the race, but that's OK, said Barb Smalley, who will take part in the 5K.

"If we can touch one person, it makes a difference," she said.

Jessica still finds time to sneak in few runs and plans to compete in triathlons this summer, but nothing like her days of training for Ironman.

She won't be running in the Marty Smalley 5K. As an organizer, she'll be behind the scenes, making sure all goes well, that others have a good time.

"It's kind of fun to give back to the community," Jessica said.

Sounds just like her father.