Joe Johnson, a 96 year-old resident of Morningside retirement home in Greenwood, South Carolina, donating blood is an important duty he takes seriously, according to a recent article on ABCNews.com.
“I'm sure I've given gallons,” he told the news source. “I don't see any reason to stop.”
Johnson, who is a retired U.S. army sergeant and has lived at Morningside for the last decade, is a regular blood donor, and isn’t happy giving himself, but instead frequently encourages neighbors and even staff at his assisted living community to join in, as well.
According to the media outlet, Johnson first started donating blood when he joined the army at 21 years old, and despite moving across the United States, and even briefly to Europe, he has continued his tradition.
Donating blood is popular across North America, and for good reason: many people need blood. According to data from the American Red Cross, someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds, meaning that 38,000 donations of blood are required every day.