photo by Marcus Frazier

Lauryn Allgood finds a vien in the arm of Freddie Gamberi Saturday afternoon during blood drive for Jerry McDaniel.

Blood drive a success

By Vershal Hogan (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Sunday, August 3, 2008

NATCHEZ — The Saturday blood drive for a local man was considered a success.

Hosted for Jerry McDaniel, a former Adams County deputy and Natchez firefighter who was recently diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery in late July, the blood drive collected a total of 61 units from 45 donors, Chris Tarver with the Our Lady of the Lake Blood donor center said.

A typical blood drive draws in the range of 20 to 30 units of blood, Tarver said.

McDaniel himself visited the blood drive during the day Saturday to meet and thank those who donated blood in his name, his daughter DeMarie McDaniel Walters said.

“I see all the donors as angels,” Walters said. “I thank all of them from the bottom of my heart.”

The blood collected Saturday will be used to replace the blood used during McDaniel’s surgery, and each remaining unit of blood will be counted as a $15 credit toward his hospital bill, Tarver said.

“At (Our Lady of the Lake), we usually run approximately 20 percent short on blood and have to buy it on the market, so this really helps us with blood,” Tarver said.

McDaniel served as a member of the Natchez Fire Department from 1956 until 1976, during which time he was a lieutenant, the fire marshal and eventually a captain.

Starting in 1976, McDaniel was a member of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, where he retired as chief deputy in 1997.