Blood drive honors Columbia County deputy who was shot in the face

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Shepeard Community Blood Center is planning a blood drive Tuesday and Wednesday in honor of a deputy who was seriously injured in a shooting over the weekend.

The blood drive on both days will help Deputy Gavin White, who was shot in the face Saturday in a confrontation with a suspect.

White has used blood products as part of his recovery, and the community is being asked to donate in his honor; Deputy White is also a regular blood donor.

On Tuesday, our community came out in force for a replenishment drive in Deputy Sikes and White’s honor.

Sitting there as strangers, with one goal at heart.

“There are a lot of people in need, so if you’re capable of doing it, I think it’s just a good thing to do for the community,” said John Boone, a blood donor.

Every drop of blood serves as a thank you for Deputy Gavin White, who put his life on the line to protect.

“The blood that was on the shelf on Saturday, ready to go, that’s what saved, Deputy White’s life,” said Benjamin Prijatel, CEO of the Shepeard Community Blood Center. “Had it not been for the donors who had come in last week and donated, our hospitals wouldn’t have had the blood products that they needed.”

For some, giving blood is routine.

“I get the phlebotomies to get the iron out of my blood so I can come every six weeks,” said Boone.

Others, like Derek Addis, are first timers.

“I just saw it last night and was like, I’m just gonna do it,” said Addis, a blood donor.

No matter the reason –

“It’s kind of a healthy thing for me to do and helps the community out, too, so I’m glad to do it,” said Boone.

The mission is the same–strangers helping strangers.

“Well, I’m older. I can’t do a whole lot of stuff, but I can give blood,” said Elizabeth Caplette, a blood donor.

The blood center says blood donated just last week was able to help White.

“Their blood was what was used to help save deputy white’s life, they didn’t know when they donated it was going to go to an officer in need and that’s why it’s important to donate regularly because we never know when something like this will happen to a public servant or someone in our network of our friends and family,” said Benjamin Prijatel, president and CEO of Shepeard Community Blood Center.

Not only will this help replenish the blood supply, but it will also provide the White family with financial resources to help with the recovery.

“Folks are looking around saying, ‘Hey, what can I do? I want to help. I feel so bad,” Prijatel says. “This is a way that anybody in our community can pitch in, roll up their sleeves, and get to work to help make sure the community blood supply is where it needs to be, but also help this officer and his family during this long road of recovery.”

For each donation, White’s family will receive $20 to help with his treatment and recovery.

“If we get 100 people to come and donate tomorrow, that’s $2,000 dollars for the family we are expecting,” said Prijatel. “Anyone can spend 45 minutes to an hour rolling up their sleeves and helping get the blood supply where it needs to be, but also helping this family individually.”

“It is super important to maintain a strong community blood supply because you never know when something is going to happen, emergencies happen every day, and it’s super important to make sure we have the blood on the shelves to help patients in need,” said Hannah Barrs, Shepeard Community Center, marketing manager.

You can donate at any blood center from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

Shepeard will have extra staff on hand at each of its donor centers to ensure that donors can participate as quickly as possible.

For more information, such as donation locations, or to make an appointment, visit https://shepeardblood.org/.

Pelicans Snowball in Grovetown is also giving money to benefit White’s family

White was shot after he and other deputies stopped an RV driven by James Blake Montgomery on Interstate 20 to serve him with a temporary protective order. Montgomery opened fire, killing Deputy Brandon Sikes and injuring White.

Montgomery was later found dead in the RV, which was filled with pipe bombs, explosives paraphernalia and ammunition. An autopsy will determine whether he was killed by return fire or took his own life.

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