Jerry, a diabetic, was 57 when he experienced a horrifying accident.

On October 16, 2001, Jerry was working his regular job moving tractor trailers carrying heaving equipment for road building around New England. Jerry was hooking up a tractor trailer when the brakes let go. A tire caught his foot and the rig rolled on top of him. Jerry lost his bladder. His urethra was severed and he lost several inches of it. He has had over 60 surgeries, including a colostomy and a urostomy. In addition, he had to have his leg amputated.

Jerry was in the hospital for over six months and spent another month in rehab. During one surgery, the doctors literally had to hold an artery down for 2 1/2 hours. During the first two months, he was in the operating room every day or every other day and used 33 units of blood - 10 pints in one surgery alone.!

Jerry says that he is lucky in the sense that his accident happened just after 9-11, so the blood banks were ample. He suffered many complications, including a bone mass growth the size of an orange which had to be removed. Many times throughout his recovery, the doctors didn’t think he would make it. The medical team originally gave Jerry a 20% chance of survival.

Amazingly, Jerry’s spirits are very high. He just received encouraging news that he will be able to get a prosthetic in Maine, close to where he lives. This is great because he will have to have it resized and checked often.

As a result of the accident, he is confined to a wheelchair, but that doesn’t stop him from living his life. Jerry and his wife, Jane, have hosted over 84 foster kids throughout their lives and ended up adopting three of them. The lengths of the foster stays have been anywhere from one day to 8 1/2 years. They had to take a break from fostering since the accident, but Jerry is anxious to begin again. He wants reach his goal of hosting 100 children. Jane and Jerry say that the children they foster might not remember them personally, but they will remember the love they gave to them and that’s all that matters.

Red Cross blood donors help patients just like Jerry in cities and towns throughout New England and across the United States. Please….give blood. Together, we can save a life.

Patient Stories