FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — As he’s done before when his state has been hit with a tragic event, Governor Andy Beshear rolled up his sleeve and donated blood on Wednesday morning a few feet from his Capitol office.
“I feel like I’m doing the right thing for my friend and others, but also, this is what we do as Kentuckians,” the Governor said as he was making his donation. “In many ways, we’re coming together in the same ways we did after tornadoes and after floods because I’ve been in this chair after each one,” he continued.
The phlebotomist used the governor’s left arm for the blood draw. In his right hand, he held a picture of his friend, Tom Elliott who was killed last Monday morning inside Louisville’s Old National Bank. Mr. Elliott was one of the five people killed, not including the shooter who was shot and killed by police.
“I know that Tommy and the others would want us to do what’s necessary to help that next person and the person after that,” Gov. Beshear added.
About 35 miles away, inside one of Lexington’s Kentucky Blood Center locations, civilians were making donations too, and personnel there were sharing the same message about donating.
“It’s a proactive gesture, so in a situation like that we just want to ensure that if something tragic happens, or whatever the need is, that blood is already there to save peoples’ lives,” said Eric Lindsey who handles media and branding for KBC.
“There’s not a lot of good that can come from what’s happened in Louisville, but if there’s something we can take going forward it’s 'hey, if you want to truly help and blood donation is on your mind, make a concerted effort going forward to consistently coming in,'” Lindsey said.
Blood donor supply has been an issue since the beginning of the pandemic for obvious reasons. Lindsey says it’s getting better now, but you can never have too much in reserve. And in Louisville, the supply needed to be replenished after so many shooting victims required large amounts of blood as part of their treatment.
“Their ability to get us that blood helped save those lives,” Dr. Jason Smith of the University of Louisville Medical Center said following the tragedy.
