He found out that because his blood type is A+, he is a perfect candidate for platelet donation. Jonathan knew this was what he should be doing, and he started making appointments to give every two weeks.

“If I’m supposed to give my time, if I’m supposed to give financially to people I can help, why wouldn’t I give everything I possibly could to make someone else’s life better, or, in this situation, make someone’s life possible,” he said.

Due to his work schedule, Jonathan began making the drive to Charlotte every two weeks to donate at our main center. Though that means an hour roundtrip on top of nearly two hours in the chair donating, Jonathan doesn’t see the time commitment as an inconvenience. He said he knows it’s the right thing to do.

“Odds are, I was going to be sitting for two hours playing games on my phone anyway,” he said. “Why not save a life while you’re playing Candy Crush? I mean, let’s face it, we’re going to be playing it for two hours anyway.”

Jonathan even gets his wife in on donating, converting her to a platelet donor as well.

“For me, my platelets help babies because I’m CMV negative,” Erin said. “So that’s pretty cool for me.”

Whether they are donating platelets or making Christmas possible for local people in need, the couple makes giving a family affair. They have even brought their 1-year-old son, Cooper, along to watch his parents help save local lives. 

“I love the relationship I’ve built with the organization,” Jonathan said. “From the buses, to the center in Gastonia, to the center in Charlotte. Even if you guys opened one in Clover, I’d still drive to Charlotte. This is where I give.”