‘Don’t wait until they’re gone’ – Mower Co. man donates 27 gallons of blood over life
Published 9:05 am Wednesday, June 20, 2018
- Robert Hyland has been giving blood for years and to date has given 27 gallons. Hyland has given blood since being stationed at Ft. Bragg. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
When Robert Hyland almost died in a crash involving a semi truck in June 1954 down in New Hampton, Iowa, it was the American Red Cross that saved his life.
Now, the 85-year-old Austin man saved countless lives by giving 27 gallons of blood over decades to those who needed it like he did.
Hyland was a Korean War veteran who served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division in the 714th Tank Company in 1952, and every month, was asked among volunteers to donate blood. He was known to many people as someone who would volunteer himself to continue giving blood whenever someone needed it.
“Anytime someone needed it, I would go down because ‘what the heck did I need this stuff for?’” he recalled.
It was a couple years later when Hyland was in a crash that almost cost him his life. During that time, he remembered getting sent to a hospital where he was suffering from major blood loss. It was the American Red Cross that kept him alive with their blood supplies, while Hyland’s father and brothers were making their way down to him in New Hampton to finish their donation of blood.
Since then, Hyland dedicated the rest of his life to the organization that kept him alive by donating blood. Just last summer, Hyland was awarded the American Red Cross’ 26-gallon donor pin, which symbolized his commitment to the nonprofit organization.
“I wanted to pay back the Red Cross for giving me blood,” he added with a small shrug. “There’s nothing to it.”
Missing types, missing donors
During the summer, the American Red Cross struggled to find donors to continue giving blood for life-saving operations and transfusions for patients. According to the Red Cross, there’s about 30 blood drives per day that actively take place statewide in Minnesota.
Hyland was part of the older generation where it was considered a civic duty to donate blood to support the war effort. Della Whalen, Hyland’s daughter, recalled donating blood throughout her adult life as well, while being inspired by her father’s actions.
“He’s a giver,” Whalen shared. “I’ve done it, and my brothers and sisters as well.”
The American Red Cross acknowledged Hyland’s efforts, sharing that many older donors are slowly unable to continue giving blood and that soon there’d be a gap and shortage of blood donors, Sue Thesenga, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross.
“I think it’s great and (Hyland) is a dedicated blood donor and made giving blood a priority in his schedule,” Thesenga said. “This is a great time to inspire a younger generation to follow in their footsteps. There’s no upper age limit. As long as you’re in good health, you can donate as long as you’re able to. Hopefully this inspires people who never donated blood before.”

Robert Hyland tells the story about the first time he gave blood as a volunteer at Ft. Bragg.
Recently, the American Red Cross launched the Missing Types campaign, which seeks to draw awareness for the need of blood donors. They erased the letters A, B and O from their websites and social media pages in order to call attention to the extreme need for all blood types to maintain their supply.
“We really encourage blood donations for all types,” Thesenga said. “We want to avoid having a blood shortage this summer. We don’t want to run into it again into the summer.”
According to a survey done on behalf of the American Red Cross, 74 percent of the public underestimate how frequent blood transfusions occur. Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. Nearly 45 percent of the public was helped by a blood transfusion, but only three percent of the U.S. population donates every year.
More than 35 percent of the public never considered that blood may not be available when they or someone they love needs it.
Thesenga also added that blood shortages weren’t uncommon in the country, and that it can only be prevented when more people decide to donate.
Typically blood has a shelf-life of 42 days and takes three days to get tested and manufactured into components for use. Thesenga also shared that the American Red Cross saw a decline in the number of donors they’ve seen within the past four years drop by 80,000 people annually. High school and college students account for nearly 20 percent of the blood donors at the American Red Cross.

Robert Hyland has given 27 gallons of blood since he first gave as a volunteer while stationed at Ft. Bragg.
“We don’t want to wait until A,B, or O to go missing,” she said. “We really want it to be a movement, so people can see the need and encourage their friends and family and educate the public about the ongoing need for blood donations. Shortages aren’t uncommon, and it can only be preventative when people roll up their sleeves and step up. People take blood for granted.”
Whalen shared that she wanted the younger generations to seriously consider donating blood like her father has, and consider the potential that there may be a moment when they would need blood.
“Think of others and don’t be selfish,” she said. “It only takes an hour of your time to do it.”
For Hyland, he’s going to keep donating blood until he’s unable to, and hopes the younger generation steps up to the plate with a rolled up sleeve.
“I hope they won’t need it it because I just needed it once,” he said. “Someone at the Red Cross gave me blood and I was waiting for it.”
There are several blood drives scheduled for the next few weeks in the Mower County area:
Adams
Date: June 27
Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Southland High School
Austin
Date: June 21
Time: Noon to 6 p.m.
Location: 1701 4th St. NW at the Holiday Inn
Date: June 29
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: 2905 W. Oakland Ave. at the Austin Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram