NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Joe Cooper and his wife Leslie, the victims of a New Orleans home invasion last year, are teaming up with an Uptown bar for a blood drive and block party.
The Heroes Wear Tie-Dye Blood Drive and Block Party is happening until 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 11 at the Maple Leaf Bar.
“We’ve got music, we’ve got a kids’ area, we have tie-dye vendors, we have Po-boy Fest merchandise, Maple Leaf merchandise, and of course, most importantly, a blood drive,” Leslie said.
Leslie was by her husband’s side as he fought for his life after he was shot multiple times while protecting Leslie during a home invasion last year.
“While he was in the ambulance, not even left the driveway yet, there was one unit of blood in the ambulance,” Leslie explained. “The doctors told us in the emergency room that this is the reason, deciding factor, that brought him into the emergency room alive.”
A blood transfusion in transit wasn’t always an option.
“It’s a program that New Orleans EMS was working on, to start transfusions before a patient even arrives at the emergency room, and from everything I’ve heard, it’s one of the main reasons he’s here with us today,” The Blood Center’s Paul Adams said.
Joe’s life is a testament to why the blood drive portion of the block party is so important.
“Yeah, you know, every day, we have to collect 250 units of blood,” Adams said. “That’s just enough to take care of our area hospitals, so it’s a daily need, and having events like this really make a huge difference in our community blood supply.”
As for Joe, he’s still recovering, but he’s been able to return to one of his passions, tie-dyeing.
“Joe is getting a little bit better every day,” Leslie said. “He’s still in a wheelchair, but he’s still my hero.”
If you weren’t able to make it to the blood drive, you can make an appointment at any The Blood Center location and let the staff know your donation is on behalf of the Coopers.
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