Scott Adams didn’t even see the car coming.
It was about 5:30 p.m. on July 25 of 2016, a Monday, and Adams was walking his dogs when an oncoming car drove right through him.
“I went through the windshield of the car,” Adams said. “It drove me through a cedar hedge. I hit the driver and he got concussed and also went to the hospital.”
Adams ended up needing about 40 units of blood as he endured seven surgeries. It was remarkable he managed to save his leg.
“Without that blood the surgeons could have worked like crazy and I would still be dead.”
It was on that note that Adams served a smoked lunch to donors outside the Blood Donor Clinic on Wednesday. The hobby chef takes meat and smoking seriously, and prepared a delicious spread of smoked beans, smoked chicken thighs (with his own spice rub), smoked pickles and a desserts by his wife Sue.
“Since I got out of hospital the second time we’ve thanked the [Royal Jubilee] nurses who were fantastic for two months looking after me,” Adams said. “Also ReBalance, they have been fantastic as well, and Canadian Blood Services, becuse let’s face it, it all started here, without blood I’d be dead, and of course the donors, they’re heroes.”
The Adams are hoping Scott’s story, and the coming of Thanksgiving, will prompt donors to give blood.
“The blood supply is not where it needs to be, we’re not meeting our targets,” said Ann Chabert, territory manager for the Canadian Blood Services’ B.C. and Yukon region, who’s based out of the Saanich clinic.
“Walk-ins are welcome, we’re only booked for 50 per cent of our spaces on Wednesday and 60 per cent for Thursday,” Chabert said.
To donate, visit the Victoria blood donor clinic at 3449 Saanich Rd., or go to https://blood.ca/en.
