Loved ones organize blood donation in honor of motorcyclist killed in crash

Family and friends are mourning the loss of a loved one and a hero.

John Collins’ organs were donated after he was killed in a crash on his motorcycle in North Fort Myers at the end of June. He was 23 years old.

His family is now trying to save more lives after the tragedy, and they’re asking for help from everyone. They’re organizing a blood drive in Collins’ honor to help the blood shortage. His family and friends say blood donation helped save his organs so they could be donated. They hope this blood drive helps the next family.

Shoot Center in Cape Coral feels empty because it’s missing the welcoming, smiling face of their beloved employee.

“John was like a really, really nice guy,” said Aaron Forum, the owner and operator of Shoot Center. “I would describe him as consistently a really great employee.”

“It is hard to come back to work,” said Marlyn Jimenez, the marketing director of Shoot Center. “Sometimes it’s a split second, then, I’m like, ‘Oh, I have to tell,’ and then, I forget, and then, I remember it, and I have to compose myself and not to cry and just keep going.”

Sunday, Collins was hit on his motorcycle at Bayshore Road and Nalle Road. He was rushed to the hospital and put on life support. It quickly became a fight to save his organs because he was an organ donor. But his family told us they needed more blood. They were able to get some from a hospital nearby.

Tuesday, Collins died.

“He is a good friend,” Jimenez said. “I still talk about him if he is here. It is really hard to talk about it because he is a good friend. He was always present. He was always with a smile. He was a good person.”

In death, Collins is saving lives. Earlier this week, Lee Memorial Hospital held a flag-raising ceremony in his honor.

Collins’ friends and family want to make sure hospitals have enough blood. They’re holding a blood drive in his honor.

“Knowing that we can actually do something to the community so that they can provide all that blood that people need out there is really good,” Jimenez said.

“It’s a no-brainer for us,” Forum said. “We are going to do it.”

The blood drive is scheduled for Aug. 14 at Shoot Center in Cape Coral. They are working on turning it into a weekend event, so more people in the community can go out and give blood.

But Lee Health stresses its doors are always open to donors. It’s open Monday despite the holiday.

MORE: Lee Health – Blood Donations