Local teen who lost part of his leg to walk in Rose Parade
From the knee up, Adrian Grajeda is just like any other high schooler, but a fitted prosthetic is a daily reminder of when tragedy struck in 2013.
Grajeda was playing on a soccer field at Lincoln Elementary School in Palm Desert when he was hit by a car that crashed through the fence. He required emergency blood transfusions to be stabilized for surgery, and his leg was amputated below the knee.
Five years later, Grajeda looks forward to walking in the 130th Rose Parade with the OneLegacy float as a representative for LifeStream.
“Five miles, I mean, it seems like a long walk, but I feel like it’ll be fine,” said Grajeda, “Football practice is a lot worse.”
4 years after losing his leg, valley student pursues football dreams
Grajeda currently plays with the Aztecs at Palm Desert High School and is hardly slowing down. He says his life now wouldn’t be possible without the blood donation he received from LifeStream.
“When patients are transfused, and their lives are saved, they get to make more memories. I think Adrian is a perfect example of someone who faced a real challenge in his life, and he took that challenge and made it an opportunity,” said Dr. Rick Axelrod, president and CEO of LifeStream.
Dr. Axelrod hopes having a presence at the Rose Parade will remind people everywhere how important it is to donate blood consistently, not just when tragedy strikes. He says LifeStream’s 2019 New Year’s resolution is to collect 20,000 units of blood locally to support the community, something Grajeda knows can change lives.
If you are interested in donating blood to LifeStream, visit their website at https://www.lstream.org/ .
