Emil Schmutzler, 80, has spent a portion of his life in a reclined position, often squeezing a little ball, while his blood is extracted.
Schmutzler donates blood — a lot of blood.
On Tuesday, March 21, Schmutzler donated his 60th gallon of blood to the Bonfils Blood Center. He has been giving whole blood to the center since 1943.
“It’s a damned good thing to do, and I wish more people would do it” Schmutzler said. “The whole country’s hurting for blood. It (donating) doesn’t hurt, and it doesn’t take long.”
Schmutzler, a Marine and World War II veteran, held the title of biggest donor in Colorado until August 2005, when he had to slow his donation rate due to a temporary iron shortage. In the meantime, a Westminster man, Bill Cell, hit the 60-gallon mark.
“It’s important for us to have folks like this who are loyal to saving lives,” said Julie Scott, Bonfils spokeswoman. “I think both of them have saved nearly 3,000 patients through their donations.”
Scott said Bonfils estimates only 4 percent of the eligible state population donates blood. Fear of needles and misperceptions about the time required to donate keep potential donors away, she said.
“Truly the big crime – it really bothers me – is that healthy people don’t do this,” Schmutzler said. “I’ve done it about 480 times, and I don’t even think about it.”