Nebraska Community Blood Bank honors Lincoln man as one of the nation’s most dedicated donors

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Imagine donating over 300 gallons of blood.

That’s exactly what Gary Myers of Lincoln did.

On Thursday, the Nebraska Community Blood Bank honored Myers as one of the nation’s most dedicated donors.

Myers completed the milestone by donating more than 3,000 units of blood. Gary began donating whole blood at age 19 while in college on the West Coast.

A few years later, because of his rare AB+ blood type, he was invited to switch to plasma donations to help patients in greater need.

Those in need include cancer patients, accident, burn, or trauma victims, newborn babies and their mothers, transplant recipients, surgery patients, and chronically transfused patients suffering from sickle cell disease or thalassemia.  

Soon after, he joined a specialized plasma program that allowed him to donate twice weekly, a habit that quickly became a lifelong routine.

He said he really noticed a difference when someone close to him needed a blood transfusion: His wife.

“My wife developed aplastic anemia, and I got the answer to the question, what’s in it for me? She received 25 units of blood, which kept her alive,” Myers said.

He mentioned he doesn’t think he did anything special or cool; that spending 45 minutes of his time helping someone in need is 45 minutes well spent.

Channel 8 asked Myers what his message is to those who receive his donation.

“It was my privilege to provide the blood that you needed. I’m honored to give you another day,” he said.

Myers is challenging 9,000 people to donate blood or donate clean water to those in need through his website: lifebloods.org