In a split-second, Laura was fighting for her life after her family’s car was hit by a speeding truck.
The accident killed her mother and ejected her father from the car. Laura suffered a broken foot and numerous lacerations on her face, arms and chest.
The nerves, muscles and tissues were so damaged on her left arm that the hospital was planning on amputating it.
“I remember overhearing the police on scene say it was one of the worst accidents they’ve ever seen,” Laura said.
Massive bleeding meant Laura needed a large amount of blood transfusions.
“There are no words to express to the blood donors other than you saved my life and I’m sure you saved my arm as well,” she said. “Life would have gone on, but it would have been very different. Because of your donation—I was dealing with the fact that my mother is no longer here—just knowing that people cared enough.”
After years of physical therapy and surgeries, Laura became a dedicated blood donor – paying it forward for the blood donations that saved her life.
“This is a pretty impactful way of changing lives and knowing that it doesn’t have to be once, it can be again and again and again,” Laura said. “If you can, try to donate blood. And try to do it more than once, on a regular basis if you can. That’s a pattern I’m trying to get into, to give regularly.”
If you would like to schedule a blood donation or have a blood drive, visit SouthTexasBlood.org
“This is something that can be as little as 30 minutes that you can make such a massive difference in a life, like being prolonged or being saved, being improved in some way. It’s kind of staggering that just laying on that bed and being in a place in my life with my health that I can share this with another person is awesome,” Laura said.
