Oct 11, 2009 11:29 am US/Mountain
Blood Donations Save Man After Horrific Accident
Written by CBS4 Special Projects Producer Libby Smith
ROLLINSVILLE, Colo. (CBS4) ―
Jerry Rippey's life changed in an instant when he was in a car accident in 2003. It took 27 surgeries, countless blood transfusions, and months of recovery to bring him back.
The accident happened in August, Rippey was on Highway 93 headed to Denver when another driver lost control of her car.
"It was a head-on collision at 75 miles per hour, " Rippey told CBS4.
During the crash, the steering wheel ripped through his middle, his liver was lacerated, all of his ribs were broken and collapsed, his hip broken, and both legs crushed.
"Not one medical person thought it was possible at all for me to pull through, Rippey said.
Rippey was in a coma for 30 days. Doctors didn't know if he would wake up and they urged his wife, Suzie, to pull the plug.
"I knew that he was going to be okay. I just had a peace. I think it was a gift of God that I just knew he was going to be okay," Suzie Rippey said.
She had faith when nearly no one else did. Even after Jerry woke up from the coma, he was paralyzed from the neck down. He needed 27 surgeries to repair his body.
"I think it was a miracle," Rippey explained.
"At one point we wrote down over 60 miracles that happened during that time," Suzie added.
Part of the miracle came in the form of complete strangers who donated blood.
"I think of them as kind of like angels or a gift from God, that there are people that are willing to do that," Rippey said.
He needed countless transfusions during his recovery.
"At times it was literally the blood saving my life."
A year to the day after the car crash, Jerry Rippey returned to work. Now five years later, he has little residual effects. He lives at altitude, maintains a ranch, rides horses, and enjoys his family.
"I"m not as fast as I was, or quite as strong as I was, I have no complaints."
Additional Resources:
Drive for Life XII is the state's largest single day blood drive. Bonfils Blood Center teams up with the Denver Broncos to host the drive at Invesco Field at Mile High. Drive for Life XII is Tuesday, Oct. 13tfrom 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and includes autographs from Bronco players, free stadium food, and a variety of giveaways and entertainment. For the first time this year Bonfils will be offering blood typing and double red cell donation opportunities in addition to traditional blood donations.
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