More than nine gallons of blood collected for Santa Claus

BEEKMAN – The Beekman Fire Department’s blood drive on Tuesday resulted in more than nine gallons of blood being donated in the name of one of their life members, Eddie Vazquez.  Beekman Fire Department (BFD) member Megan Bender worked with the New York Blood Center to bring the community out for donations.  The outpouring of support resulted in the collection of 74 pints of the lifesaving red fluid. 

In the United States, more than 43,000 pints of blood are used each day in the United States and Canada.  Patients, including those with cancer and those suffering a traumatic injury, require blood transfusions every two seconds.

Each pint of blood can save up to three lives, according to medical professionals.

Vazquez, an architect by trade, was diagnosed with metastatic esophageal cancer in September of 2020, according to his daughter Angelina Bueti. He began chemotherapy and radiation treatments at Memorial Sloan Kettering shortly after the diagnosis.  Since that time he has undergone several surgeries and received countless blood transfusions. 

Bender has hosted several blood drives in the past but says this one is different.  Prior to the drive, she told Mid-Hudson News “You don’t realize the value of blood drives until someone you know needs transfusions, then it becomes an immeasurable need and we need everyone to help,” adding  “Eddie does so much for the community and now we need the community to come together, and make a truly lifesaving donation.”

Beekman has benefitted from Vazquez coaching little league teams, serving as a Boy Scout Leader, volunteering for the Beekman Rescue Squad, serving as an EMT, and teaching CPR classes.  His daughter Angelina also boasts that her dad is “one of the greatest Santas this town has ever seen.”  Vazquez plays the role of Santa during the fire department’s annual Santa Runs in town, which is a role he truly enjoys.   “He’s a Santa Run legend around here and I think he enjoys it just as much as the children do,” added Bender.

Donors from the neighborhood and as far away as New Windsor responded to the plea for donations, and Bender was awestruck.  “Blood can’t be made synthetically so donors are always needed.  The number of people that turned out to donate shows how important Eddie is to the community.”

Dutchess County Senior Assistant District Attorneys Anthony Parisi and his wife, Sinead McLoughlin reside in Beekman and responded to the plea for blood.  “You’re never too busy to save a life,” Parisi said.  Parisi is running for District Attorney in November and said he donated because Vazquez “is a staple of the community who has served his neighbors in every conceivable way.”