Blood Drive Honors Officer John Daily, A College Park High Alum

PLEASANT HILL, CA — A blood drive is underway in Pleasant Hill in honor of a hospitalized Houston, Texas police officer who hails from the East Bay. The American Red Cross in a statement invited community members to roll up a sleeve and give blood through Monday, Feb. 5 in honor of Officer John Daily, who graduated from College Park High School in Pleasant Hill.

Daily — who played basketball at the local high school before attending Cal Maritime in nearby Vallejo — went on to become a police officer for the Houston Police Department, as did his twin brother.

The morning of Christmas Eve, Daily was critically injured in a crash involving a suspected DUI driver.

"Officer Daily and his partner were struck by a drunk driver causing their vehicle to roll over several times and catch fire," said Christine Welch of the American Red Cross. "Officer Daily was pulled from the vehicle by his partner and suffered second- and third-degree burns on 50 percent of his body. He has received multiple blood transfusions and will likely need more as part of future surgeries."

Daily's family and friends invite the community to donate blood in his honor at the American Red Cross Pleasant Hill Blood Center, 140 Gregory Lane, through Monday, Feb. 5, according to Welch.

A poster will be available to sign and write a message which will be delivered to Officer Daily after the blood drive, Welch said.

As a thank-you, wristbands with the message #IFightWithJohn will be given out, courtesy of Daily’s family, while supplies last.

"This blood drive will help the blood supply recover from a donation shortfall over the winter holidays that prompted the Red Cross to issue an emergency call for blood donors to give now," Welch said.

Donors of all blood types, especially platelet donors and type O blood donors, are needed to prevent a blood shortage from continuing throughout winter and affecting patient care, she said.

To make an appointment to donate in honor of Officer John Daily, community members can use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, schedule online at RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

RELATED COVERAGE:

• 2 HPD Officers Hospitalized After Head-On Crash
• Suspect Charged In Crash That Injured 2 Houston Police Officers
• Contra Costa Co. Blood Donations Needed In Wake Of Winter Storms

Photo courtesy American Red Cross