‘I like helping people:’ Central Florida man hits donor milestone, gives 150th gallon of blood

ORLANDO, Fla. – A 74-year-old Central Florida man recently donated his 150th gallon of blood, according to a news release.

Officials with OneBlood said Ronald Ribaric has been giving blood since he was a “young man.”

Ribaric celebrated the donor milestone at OneBlood’s Oviedo donor center, saying that he has been donating in Central Florida since the 1980s.

“I like helping people, and this is one easy way to help other people, even if I don’t know who they are,” Ribaric said with a smile.

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According tot he release, Ribaric started out giving whole blood, but then moved on to giving platelets. Officials said he reached this milestone level because he gives platelets every two weeks.

Platelet donations are transfused into patients, most of them being treated for cancer within 5 days.

“He has no doubt saved the lives of hundreds of patients over his blood donation career,” the release read in part.

According to OneBlood, healthy people age 16 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds can donate blood.

To learn more about the importance of blood donation and how donors can target the power of their blood type visit oneblood.org.

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