Fort Myers fallen officer honored with blood drive

Keeping a fallen officer’s memory alive.

First responders are teaming up this week to honor Fort Myers Police Officer Adam Jobbers-Miller who was shot in the line of duty in July of 2018.

Jobbers-Miller spent a week at Lee Memorial Hospital fighting to survive.

For a week, the hospital needed blood.

“This whole thing started when he was here,” said Fort Myers Police Lt. Roger Valdivia. “Somebody had the wild idea of you know if you can give blood, come down and give blood. There was a line, I mean you couldn’t see the end of the line.”

Now, the Fort Myers Police Department and Lee Health honor the fallen officer with an annual blood drive.

The idea started with Jobbers-Miller’s mom.

“Patty was a huge driving force for the blood drive,” said Jeremy Puckett, a supervisor for Blood Center-Lee Health. “She loved being here every single day that we did the blood drive; she was here to meet every person.”

But, she died last year. Her loss was a blow to everyone.

“That’s all the more reason why we want to keep this going, this was her baby,” Valdivia said.

To Fort Myers Police Lt. Roger Valdivia this tribute means the world.

“I’ve been here almost 25 years now and every time we’ve had something happen with an officer our community steps out,” Valdivia said. “They always appreciate us and always let us know how they appreciate us.”

MORE: 

The blood drive continues Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Lee Memorial Hospital on Cleveland Avenue and on Thursday at the Fort Myers Police Department from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.