Whitehall Man Donates 100th Gallon of Blood

William DeLong, of Whitehall, finished donating his 100th gallon of blood on Tuesday. DeLong started giving blood around 1978, more than 30 years ago.

DeLong is very casual about the accomplishment.

“If I’m able to help people, you know, that’s fine,” he said. “I don’t look at it as a big deal, it’s something I can do so I do it.”

The Miller-Keystone Blood Center, on the other hand, was very excited to receive DeLong’s donation. They celebrated his accomplishment with a cake and a trophy.

DeLong donates platelets, which help control bleeding and bruising, making them very important for heart surgery, accident and burn victims, premature infants, organ transplant patients, and bone marrow transplant patients, according to a press release from the Miller-Keystone Blood Center.

Platelets have a shelf life of only 5 days, but donors can give every 56 days.

“It’s better to be on the giving side than the receiving side,” DeLong said. “I like going for the phlebotomists, they’re really cool.”