Blood Donation Gives the Gift of Life to Local Family by Don Escalante - City News Group, Inc.
View Upcoming Events View Your Local Sales

Community Calendar

◄ NOVEMBER ►
S M T W T F S
01 02 03 04 05 06 07
08 09 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 01 02 03 04 05
View Events
Submit Events
directory

Blood Donation Gives the Gift of Life to Local Family

By Don Escalante, Community Writer
October 30, 2015 at 04:54pm. Views: 236

To Leslie Johnson, volunteering for LifeStream blood bank is the chance of a lifetime. The Rancho Cucamonga resident is proud to have worn the uniform of her country, having spent eight years as an enlisted member of the U.S. Air Force. Deployed a month after the 9-11 terrorist attacks, Leslie feels a strong sense of duty, and a genuine respect for those who make a difference. Little did she know that service toward others would one day be directed toward her, and in the most profound of ways. In winter 2007, Leslie and her husband Charles, whom she met while in the military, joyfully awaited the arrival of their first child. Denver was the snowy locale where the happy couple full of excitement and anticipation as Avery Grace prepared to be welcomed into the world. But at birth, something went terribly wrong. Avery was fine. Her mother was not. Unable to hear or move, and surrounded by masked strangers, Leslie remembers relying on her faith for strength while desperately seeking out Charles. He was there, but had yielded ground so medical experts could do their work. They locked eyes as he stood in the corner of the room, fear and confusion spreading across his face. “I will never forget that look,” Leslie said. She was severely hemorrhaging, her life in imminent danger. There was one hope left – blood transfusions – and seconds counted. “They asked my permission,” Leslie said. “I nodded ‘yes’ with my eyelids.” Later, she was told “you lost all the blood your body holds.” She had received eight whole-blood transfusions and five platelet transfusions. And, she was alive – thanks to complete strangers who had voluntarily given blood days before Avery’s birth. “To this day, I am overcome with a profound sense of awe and gratitude to those who give blood,” she said. Leslie recently became a nationally certified and State of California licensed (what else?) phlebotomist, and shares her uplifting, dramatic message with LifeStream blood donors as a member of LifeStream’s volunteer team. “The least I can do is thank each and every donor who walks through those doors for saving a life. For saving my life!” she said. What is her message to potential blood donors? “Know that just a few minutes of your time may mean years to someone else. Never could you give a more precious, valuable gift – the gift of life.”

Related Articles

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 299

Athlete of the Week Christopher Michael Lemos, Redlands High School Junior and Varsity Quarterback, proudly represents the Terriers with his dedication, leadership, and passion for the game.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 413

Redlands Pottery Project joins A.K. Smiley Public Library for a November 14 workshop designed for young artists ages 13 to 18. A lump of clay may not look like much at first. In the hands of a young artist, however, it can become a bowl, a decorative sculpture or an entirely unexpected creation.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.redlands.edu/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 514

The University of Redlands Department of Theatre and Dance will present Día de los Muertos and Other Folk Tales November 5 through 8, 2026. Stories told by grandparents often become treasured parts of a family's history. Some are humorous, others mysterious, and many carry lessons that remain meaningful long after the storyteller is gone.

Photo Courtesy of: UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 375

A remote wildfire-monitoring camera overlooks a Southern California landscape. Redlands has partnered with UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia program to improve monitoring of areas near northern Redlands and the Santa Ana River wash.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.akspl.org/events/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 512

Annual ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine will bring American history to life on November 21. On a November morning in Redlands, the sounds of fifes, drums and historic artillery will offer residents an opportunity to experience a chapter of American history that continues to influence the nation more than 160 years after the Civil War.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:18pm. Views: 323

The first years of a child's life are filled with milestones that families often remember forever. A baby's first smile, the first attempt to crawl and the first spoken words are moments of celebration. They can also bring questions, uncertainty and new responsibilities for parents learning how to care for a growing child.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.csusb.edu/

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 386

CSUSB’s Department of Physics and Astronomy has earned recognition for it for its work to create a more inclusive, diverse and supportive physics department, earning the Bronze Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science Physics & Astronomy SEA Change program.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.naco.org/program/operation-green-light-veterans

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 956

Operation Green Light returns November 4–11, encouraging residents to recognize military service and help veterans connect with available resources. As darkness settles over San Bernardino during the first week of November, green lights will illuminate several county buildings, transforming familiar government facilities into visible reminders of the sacrifices made by America's military veterans.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.authentikusa.com/

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 358

As America's most famous highway celebrates its centennial in 2026, San Bernardino reflects on the road that helped shape its neighborhoods, businesses and identity. Long before interstate highways became the preferred routes for cross-country travel, motorists making their way through San Bernardino followed a road that would become one of the most recognizable highways in American history.

Photo Courtesy of: Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 301

Muscoy Elementary students join SBCUSD Superintendent Mauricio Arellano, Board of Education President Mayra Ceballos, Assistant Superintendents Dr. Sandra Rodriguez and Dr. Tasha Doizan, Director MaryRone Goodwin and San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. for the official ribbon cutting ceremony that opened the school’s new outdoor learning center.

Photo Courtesy of: https://riversiderecord.org/; A photo of Moreno Valley City Hall. (Alicia Ramirez/The Riverside Record) Credit: (Photo by Alicia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 643

A city is often judged by what residents experience every day: the condition of its streets, the reliability of public services, the availability of recreational programs and the ease of obtaining information from local government. Behind those everyday experiences are departments and employees whose work rarely attracts national attention.

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 605

Athlete of the Week Zachary Scott Perez, Senior at John W. North High School, is recognized as Athlete of the Week for his dedication and accomplishments as a student athlete.

--> -->