The 57-year-old Marco Perez is a U.S Air Force Veteran, but continues to save lives and recently celebrated a significant milestone. The man now works as a postal worker and regularly visits the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center to donate his blood to people in need. He donates blood twice a month, which is the maximum amount allowed.
Marco has been donating ever since he was a teenager after hearing about a story about him being saved as a baby by donated blood.
The veteran hit the impressive 100-gallon mark in July 2017, saving an estimated 1,500 lives.
Marco started donating when he received a post card from a local blood bank that was desperately looking for people who were willing to donate their blood.
“I went and tried it and I realized I can donate more.”
After receiving the postcard, Marco had a conversation with his father about the topic. He learned that a longtime friend of his dad’s, Tony Aguilar, actually donated his blood to Marco when he was a baby. He was in need of a blood transfusion in order to survive. After hearing about this story, Marco wanted to do everything he could to return the favor.
After hearing about this story, Marco wanted to do everything he could to return the favor.
“One donation just saved my life,” Marco said. “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have 100 gallons right now.”
He believes that if you have time to go the movies, you certainly have time to donate blood.
Marco met his life saver four years ago and considers him a father figure after his dad passed away.
Marco has been donating his blood for dozens of years, and now it’s mostly his blood platelets that are donated. He also used to donate blood plasma and regular red blood cells, but platelets are currently in higher demand as they’re being used to help treat cancer patients. He donates about 2.5 gallons of blood each year.
“He’s always answered the call to come in and donate,” a spokesperson for the medical center said. Without blood donors, cancer patients or people with blood disorders wouldn’t have a fighting chance. It’s safe to say he’s saved over 1,500 lives with his donations.”
At the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, Marco is one of the four “all-star-donors” who has donated 100 gallons or more of their blood.
“It feels great,” Marco adds. “It’s something that I was shooting for and it took me forever.”
“There’s a lot of sick people out there that we don’t know about. Just donate, just give — it [don’t] cost you a dime.”
“I’ll just keep donating until the blood bank says I can’t donate anymore,” he concludes. “It’s just giving, showing love for a fellow human being.”
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