FORT MYERS, Fla. — Nearly five years ago, Fort Myers Police Officer Adam Jobbers-Miller was killed in the line of duty. He spent a week fighting for his life at Lee Memorial.
Though he did not survive, his memory lives on with a three-day blood drive held each year since his death, hoping to help save lives.
"It still is just sad that we weren’t able to keep him with us," said Renee McCauley, the hospital's trauma ICU director, who tried to save Adam.
He died on July 28, 2018, seven days after being shot. As doctors and nurses tried to save him, he needed blood.
"The night that he first got here and the following days, we had donors coming out in support of his need," said Jeremy Puckett, the blood center supervisor for Lee Health.
His family put out a call for help on social media. Puckett says more than 100 people per day lined up at the front door ready to donate.
"They [Adam's family] felt that this is something they wanted to carry forward to help the community of his name to live on," he said.
Since the drive started, Lee Health has collected 840 units of blood, which has been enough to help nearly 1,700 patients. It takes about five to 10 minutes to donate, and all of it from this blood drive stays in Lee County.
McCauley said sometimes, one patient alone needs 100 units of blood.
"There’s that constant need, because it is that life-saving element," she said.
An element Puckett said is needed before a tragedy happens.
"The importance is there’s that ready blood supply," he said.
It's a supply that McCauley said helped keep Adam alive for seven days.
"His family was able to be with him and say goodbye," she said.
"This is just another way that Adam continues to help the community and do what he does, just in a different way," one officer said on Tuesday.
If you could not make it out on Tuesday to donate, the blood drive is happening on Wednesday at Lee Memorial Hospital from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Thursday, they will be at the Fort Myers Police Department from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
