WOODS CROSS—Giving blood is giving life. It’s a relatively simple thing but it saves thousands of lives every single day. The Woods Cross Youth City Council (WXYCC) joined the American Red Cross to host a blood drive last week in honor of their fellow council member Carter Gourley as he recovers from a heart transplant.

Gourley is a 16-year-old junior at Bountiful High School who was born with a congenital heart condition. He has undergone multiple open-heart surgeries. His recent heart transplant often creates the need for critical blood transfusions during surgery, according to the American Red Cross.  

“He’s been on the transplant list,” said WXYCC advisor Becky Gale. “He was admitted to the hospital in February as a high priority and told to expect a six month wait. They found a heart and he got his call. All the stars aligned and he got his heart.”

While he’s recovering the council decided to do service in his honor, she said. “We thought a blood drive would be good.”

He’s the most kind boy there is, said Gale. “I didn’t even know that he had a heart condition. One day he came into a meeting with oxygen. He said, ‘I have a little heart problem.’ He doesn’t like a lot of attention. He’s very humble. He’s an awesome kid.”

“We have a lot of ‘in honor of drives,’” said Brittney Bake, Red Cross Account Manager in the Donor Recruitment Department. “Usually it’s the family of kids in the hospital with cancer who want to hold a blood drive to make sure hospital shelves have the blood they need. We also have drives like Carter’s because they quite often need a transfusion.”

People want a way to help and they don’t know what to do, she said. “This gives them the opportunity to give back.”

A unit of blood can save someone’s life, said Bake. “Blood can’t be created. It can only come from a donor. That’s why we need donors that are healthy and able to come to events like this.”

“Blood donation isn't just a simple gesture; it's a lifeline for those in need,” said Michael Smauldon, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Northern Utah & Southwest Wyoming Chapter. “When patients rely on blood products to survive, every donation can mean the difference between life and death. It's truly remarkable how a small act of giving can have such a profound impact on someone else's life.”

The community has really shown up and rallied, said Bake. “The drive has been incredible. It helps people come out when it’s a special cause. Sometimes it’s out of sight out of mind unless it’s someone you know.”