Blood donors saved his life; now he gives back

Dennis Grant was a Corrections Officer for the Arizona Department of Corrections. On November 15, 1993 he was driving a prison bus loaded with inmates when a tractor trailer jack-knifed and hit the bus he was driving head on. The driver of the truck was killed; Dennis’ partner was killed and many of the prisoners were injured. Dennis survived but suffered major internal injuries; both of his legs were amputated above the knee and a portion of his colon was removed.

Dennis doesn’t remember the accident, nor the 13 days he spent in ICU afterward. One thing he does remember is that he received more than 20 units of lifesaving blood during his multiple surgeries. “People that donated blood saved my life,” Dennis says.

Dennis was a young newlywed when the accident occurred, just 24 and married only 7 months. He and his wife recently celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary and have a happy and healthy 8-year-old son. And Dennis is a loyal blood donor. “I didn’t donate blood regularly before the accident, but now I do,” he explains. “I hope to give back and make a difference for somebody else.”