Julie Paez lay conscious but silent on the floor, in pain and unable to get up. The date: December 2, 2015. The location: Inland Regional Center, San Bernardino. Julie was one of three dozen victims of a terrorist attack that focused the attention of a stunned nation on an area “east of Los Angeles.” Thanks to first responders who quickly reached the site and bravely raced in, Julie and 21 others with gunshot wounds were on their way to local hospitals for treatment. Julie had donated blood since she was 17 years old. Her unwanted payback was at hand.
“Blood was going out of me as fast as doctors could put it in,” she recalls.
Eventually, Julie was stabilized, and survived. Thanks to first responders, skilled medical professionals, and LifeStream blood donors – community heroes, every one – so did all 21 of her wounded colleagues.