If people didn’t donate blood, Sean Thompson might not be here today. Sean was in a car accident back in August, when Wyatt Phillips, 16, lost control of his vehicle and hit a tree in Solon Township. Phillips was killed and Sean was seriously injured.
“I remember going off the road at the tree, not really hitting the tree. I don’t remember that. I remember being inside the car for a brief moment, just trying to get out a little bit. Then I remember the noise of the helicopter and being at the hospital,” Thompson said.
He needed 10 units of blood to survive the crash.
“I can’t thank you enough for coming out and donating to save lives,” Tami Elliston, Sean’s mom said.
On Saturday a special blood drive was held in Sean’s honor in Cedar Springs. His mother says she never realized how important donating blood was, until the accident.
“I was always willing to donate, but I never made it a priority. I think I wouldn’t go out of my way to go there, if it was on site or availed I would. Now, it’s a big priority,” Elliston said.
After spending months in a wheelchair and on crutches, Sean is now able to walk. He still has a long road to fully recover from this accident, but he plans on going back to school for his first full day since the accident, next week.
“I don’t know if this amount of people would come out otherwise. Unless there was a good cause, maybe they don’t recognize how important it is,” Thompson said.
Sean says he wants to eventually donate blood, but he has to wait until he is fully recovered from the accident.
