SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A nationwide blood shortage is hitting San Diego hard. The San Diego Blood Bank says it has less than a day's supply left, stretching hospitals thin.
Navy veteran Bryan Caraveo's life changed after a bike ride to work.
"Thank God I'm alive, and the doctor said I'm lucky to be alive," said Caraveo. "Oddly enough, on National Bike to Work day in May of '11, I'm making the ride. I was passing a construction area, and a dump truck didn't see me. It made a left and we collided."
The crash knocked him unconscious, so he woke up in the hospital.
"I don't remember anything of the accident," said Caraveo. "Just what I read from the doctor's reports."
Part of those reports? Major blood loss.
"Your body's got about nine pints of blood in it. In a three-day period, I needed eight or nine pints," said Caraveo. "A majority of that came from the blood bank to the hospitals."
The 25-year veteran found a new way to serve. He's given more than 15 gallons of blood in the past 11 years.
"People donated. That helped save my life. So, if I can donate to help somebody else, I want to be able to do that," said Caraveo.
Unfortunately, blood banks here at home and across the country say they're running dry. The fridge holding most of the San Diego Blood Bank's supply is mostly empty, barely keeping up with a day's worth of demand.
This makes it difficult for the blood bank to send enough life-saving blood to hospitals.
"That's the most important thing: getting more people to donate," said Caraveo. "So I like to talk to groups, and I tell them blood transfusions saved my life. People donating saved my life."
The San Diego Blood Bank is teaming up with the Padres to host a blood drive on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Gallagher Square at Petco Park, 840 K Street, San Diego, CA 92101.
If you're interested in donating or learning more, visit the blood bank's website.
