FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Governor Andy Beshear, in collaboration with the Red Cross, is hosting a blood drive in Frankfort. This comes just days after the I-75 shooting, which sent five people to the hospital [four have since been released]. He says that anytime the Commonwealth has faced adversity, Kentuckians have come together to help each other.
“The first to do is to give blood. When they were rushed to emergency rooms, most likely all of them needed blood.”
“What Kentuckians have shown in response to those disasters we have unfortunately had to experience, is that we are one team,” said Travis Mayo. “And we come together when we have to help each other out.”
Mayo serves as the general counsel to the governor, in Governor Beshear’s office, but today he was a bigger hero. He was a blood donor.
“We’re all human, and we all need the lifesaving gift from time to time,” Eric Holden, the Regional Executive of Donor Services at the American Red Cross, said.
Both Beshear and Mayo agree that tragedies have brought our community together because, according to Beshear, people in the Commonwealth step up when their neighbor is down.
“It feels good to be contribute in what may seem like a small way, but ends up being a big way to help save lives, to help people in need.” Mayo said.
On average, this simple act takes less than ten minutes to do, and Holden tells me that only 3% of people in the United States donate blood.
“Which is something that people don’t think about until it is needed, until it hits ‘em at home, you know?” Holden said.
“Until you know someone who needs it,” Holden added.
Although Mayo and Beshear can’t control the fact that suspect Joseph Couch remains at large, they can control their response. And they chose unity.
“It’s a perfect example of team Kentucky,” said Mayo.
