GREENVILLE, Pa. (WKBN) — Pennsylvania native Vinton Smith gave his first blood donation at Commodore Perry High School in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Now, his next donation will complete a trip across America.
Smith has pictures of himself across the USA outside American Red Cross offices. The journey started in 1988. For 20 years, he gave blood in Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland, but Smith started a travel job in 2008 and had to schedule appointments in new places.
“And then by the time I hit the 25th state, that’s when I started sharing the story with others, my family and others. I kind of kept it quiet because I thought, this is kind of a crazy goal,” Smith said.
He’s made it interesting while rolling up his sleeves 139 times. A donation in Portland, Maine and then one in Portland, Oregon. The 49th state for Smith was Alaska. He leaves Tuesday for Hawaii, and state number 50 on his donation destination list.
“This is not a completion of a journey. This is a milestone in a lifelong journey to give blood,” he said.
The desire to give came from the family bloodline. Smith’s mother and father were regular blood donors. The 54-year-old calls it meaningful and rewarding that his story can inspire others.
“I really think about those people whom I have never met. I don’t know who they are. Probably will never meet them, but whose lives have been extended and filled with moments in their life that would have been lost forever.”
Twelve members of Smith’s family are going to Hawaii with him, including his mother. Some of them will donate blood, too, in the 50th state. Smith hopes others sense the importance of being a regular donor.
“I can’t think of one thing that an individual can do that can have a bigger impact on someone else than simply taking a few minutes to give blood.”
Vinton Smith has donated roughly 30 gallons of blood. He also donates platelets, and did that recently in Nevada, his 25th state. And he wants to go for 50 states in platelet donations. Smith plans to keep donating blood, too.
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