Bike Accident Survivor Grateful to Blood Donors

Blood donations helped save a woman's life.

Colleen Kelly Alexander, of Clinton, was riding her bike on the Boston Post Road in Madison on Oct. 8 when a large freight truck suddenly rolled through a stop sign and left her with a broken body. 

She lost 78 units of blood and was in a coma at Yale-New Haven Hospital for over a month. 
But blood donations saved Alexander’s life and she said she is grateful for this.

“What blood donors did was just give me that chance to pull out of being critical and to live.  And not just to live, but to be alive,” Alexander said.

Alexander’s accident left her with massive injuries.  Although she is on the road to recovery she uses a cane and a walker to move around.  

She also said she still needs multiple surgeries.  Despite these setbacks, Alexander keeps a positive spirit by sending a powerful message to the rest of the state: give blood.

“I know that for someone who registers to give blood, quite often it’s during your lunch day and you just give your donation to go back to work. It’s not just giving this pint of blood, it’s literally providing the tools to live someone’s life,” Alexander said.

Alexander came to the American Red Cross blood drive at NBC Connecticut, where she raised awareness about the importance of saving someone’s life through blood donations. 

She was proud to speak out at our event, but she was even more proud of everyone who donated blood.

“They are the heroes,” Alexander said. “I am inspired by those people I met that are lying there and are just selflessly giving of their life.”

If you would like to help save a life, but could not attend the blood drive at the NBC Connecticut Studio, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or go to redcross.org to schedule an appointment.


    

 

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