Nearly a month ago, 16-year-old Mike Gallegos Jr. lost his battle with leukemia. On Wednesday, his family will host a blood drive in his honor.
SAN ANTONIO — A San Antonio family is turning their pain into a purpose. They are calling for blood donations to honor the life of teenager taken too soon.
Nearly a month ago, they lost 16-year-old Mike Gallegos Jr. to cancer.
On Wednesday, the family is having a ‘Strong Like Mike’ blood drive in his honor at Stevens High School.
The teen’s father, Mike Gallegos Sr., said this drive is to help others and to also help the family heal and move forward.
“He went through a lot,” Gallegos said. “He went through a lot in a short period of time. We didn’t deal with the pain he was going through. We are now. We are dealing with the pain now.”
He said last September, the family got the news the teenager had leukemia. As part of documenting his journey, the teen built a long strand of beads that represent what he went through. For example, yellow represents the overnight hospital stays, white for chemo and red for the blood transfusions he really needed to stay alive.
“We have seen what he has gone through,” Gallegos said. “We have seen what other cancer patients are going through. It is real, and it is killing our kids… They all need blood. I know my son went through a lot of blood.”
As for the blood drive, the father said it is about giving others a fighting chance and being ‘Strong Like Mike’.
“This is going to help me and my family move forward, knowing that we are helping others is what my son would want us to do,” he said.
Blood Drive Information:
The blood drive is happening Wednesday August 7 at Stevens High School from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. located at 600 N. Ellison Dr. According to the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, as a token of gratitude, all blood donors will receive 2 Santikos movie tickets, a 30-minute game card, as well as coupons for discounted popcorn, drinks, and bowling at Santikos theaters.
The Gallegos family plans to give the first 50 donors a pair of tennis shoes, and the first 25 donors a backpack filled with school supplies.
You can make an appointment by visiting SouthTexasBlood.org or call 210-731-5590.
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