Blood Drive Held in Memory of Former USC Student

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — “Strangers donated blood to my son and it became so much more real that people didn’t know him, but yet they gave,” says Teresa Cothran, Taylor Cothran’s Mother. It’s been almost five years since Teresa Cothran lost her son, 18 year old Taylor Cothran. “He was in an accident in his dorm room where he went through his window. As we realized he was going to pass away, we thought that we could do something in his memory and so we started, “Taylor’s Helping Hands,” says Cothran. Monday, the group held its annual blood drive at USC, something Teresa Cothran started on Taylor’s birthday almost five years ago. “I wanted for his birthday to have a blood drvie as a way of him giving a present to him and to to other people,” says Cothran. Members of Taylor’s fraternity, Theta Delta Chi were also on hand. “Not even knowing the kid and feeling like I did and feeling like he was a part of my family, it really shows what a fraternity is about,” says Derek Boucher, Senior Executive of Theta Delta Chi. The goal for this year’s blood drive is sixty-three pints, last year they collected fifty-one. “Year after year, it really touches me because they’re giving of themselves,” says Cothran. “South Carolina is in a blood shortage and this is needed and it saves 3 lives for everyone who does it,” says Boucher. Crandall Sims reporting,”According to the American Red Cross the Southeast Blood Services Division has seen a dramatic decrease in blood donations within the past few months. Blood drives like the one you see behind me are a great help, because officials say as soon as blood comes in it’s going right back out to hospitals with patients in need.” Teresa Cothran says she’s glad to help. “You never know, when you donate blood…it’s going to be somebody’s son, somebody’s daughter, somebody’s mother, somebody’s best friend or it could be you,” says Cothran.