One community saved live Wednesday night, and it's all because of one little girl. Strangers, soldiers, the young, and old are donating their blood in honor of a 10-year-old girl that needs a very specific blood type to continue her fight with cancer.
A sign the says "Martin Walker Elementary, Where Kid Come First" hand at the front door of the elementary school. This sign couldn't be more true.
Because kids, like Alyssa Ranard, really do come first.
"I'm O Negative. That's why I came right away because I heard she was O Negative," said Elyse Cruz, who is giving blood for the very first time.
Cruz was one of the first out of hundreds to donate blood Wednesday. It was all for Alyssa, a 10-year-old girl with a rare cancer.
Within 24 hours, the school put together a blood drive for their fifth grade student.
"We just wanted to be able to help in some way after we found out Alyssa was really in need," said the school's Principal, Amanda Crawley.
Two blood drive buses were filled with strangers hoping help. Alyssa's mother, Misty Rich, was shocked. "Even when they park it in front of the children's hospital, there's nobody in it and now it's full and look at all these people that are waiting here. They're amazing, they're all awesome," she said.
And misty has more reasons to smile. Wednesday morning she found out that some tumors in Alyssa's bones are gone and others are shrinking. "The doctors told me this would not likely happen, it's like a miracle," she said.
It's news like this, that makes Cruz proud to donate her blood. "I have a daughter who is 20 months old and if I'm O Negative and there was anyone who would be out there that could help my daughter in this situation, I would be at their mercy," she said.
Everyone who donates not only saves three lives but they also get a thank you card from kindergartners and a free pint of Blue Bell ice cream. That's not a bad day, just for giving blood.
