On May 5, Alea Hewson will mark the day like she has done every year for as long as she can remember. She will compose a personal message to her work colleagues and Facebook followers that recounts her near-fatal accident when she was a toddler and the 13 blood transfusions that saved her life. She …
Lisa Henderson was displaced by a home fire. Then the Red Cross arrived. ‘They were my angels.’
When the worst happens, the American Red Cross is there to help. After a fire nearly destroyed her Detroit home a year ago, Lisa “Queen” Henderson said she was overwhelmed by their response. “I call them angels. They were my angels,” she said. “It was just a smooth process through a stormy situation. I am …
Muskegon Mother Credits Smoke Alarms with Saving Her Families Lives
Carena Levelson was asleep on the living room couch when she was awakened by the high-pitched sound of smoke alarms going off in her Muskegon rental home. It was just past midnight as the smoke and acrid smell quickly filled the home. Christmas was three days away. She crawled to the door and into the …
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Volunteer Candice Mushatt Sounds the Alarm for Home Fire Safety After a Family Tragedy
For the second year in a row, American Red Cross volunteer Candice Mushatt will be installing smoke alarms and teaching families about home fire safety during Sound the Alarm events in her hometown in Flint and in neighboring city Saginaw. It’s a role she embraces with a passion and community spirit stirred by family heartbreak. …
Blood donor turned blood drive planner – How one donor’s late mother inspires him to give
To Dan Wyrembelski, giving blood is a priority. As a son who lost his mother to cancer three years ago, he said he cannot overstate the importance of blood to so many people. His mother, Carol Baranic, recovered from bouts with cancer in her 20s, 30s and then 50s. Over the years, Wyrembelski said he …
Nett Henderson’s Motto is to Give Blood: ‘Every Unit Counts’
To commemorate Black History Month, we’re celebrating Red Crossers and how they’re making a difference in the mission. Nett Henderson has seen a lot over her time with the American Red Cross. She celebrated 25 years with the Red Cross on Feb. 15. As a phlebotomist, Nett said she is always thinking about the blood …
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Jay Gardiner’s ‘Rewarding’ Volunteerism with the Red Cross Nears 10 Years
To commemorate Black History Month, we’re celebrating Red Crossers and how they’re making a difference in the mission. Throughout his 30-year career in public transportation, Jay Gardiner rode the bus system to and from work. It was during those rides that would lead him to the American Red Cross to continue his passion in community …
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Karen Utsey Sought the Help of the Red Cross Years Ago. Today, She is Giving Back as a Board Member.
To commemorate Black History Month, we’re celebrating Red Crossers and how they’re making a difference in the mission. Karen Utsey was a military spouse living in California at the time when she reached out to the American Red Cross for the first time. She needed someone to intervene on her behalf and put her in …
Teresa Reid is inspired by Red Cross blood donors
To commemorate Black History Month, we are celebrating Red Crossers and how they’re making a difference in the mission. As an experienced American Red Cross phlebotomist, Teresa Reid regularly sees first-hand the importance of keeping the blood supply strong. She is also a blood donor herself. Reid will celebrate 22 years at the Red Cross …
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Volunteer Ken Marks is a Community Connector for the Home Fire Campaign
To commemorate Black History Month, the Red Cross is celebrating team members and how they’re making a difference in the mission. When Ken Marks retired after 43 years in public service in state government, no one would have faulted him for kicking back and enjoying the fruits of his labor. But it was a conversation …
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