VANDALIA, Ill. — St. Louis Police Officer Colin Ledbetter required more than 30 units of blood to survive a shooting in January — enough to replace his total blood volume three times over.
Now, an upcoming blood drive in his hometown will be held in his honor.
The Vandalia Rotary Club's March 15 American Red Cross blood drive will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Vandalia Moose Lodge.
Ledbetter and his fellow officer Nathan Spiess were shot in the line of duty in January following a pursuit involving a homicide suspect. That suspect was killed during the shooting.
Spiess was shot in the thigh and required surgery to repair his shattered femur.
EMS workers have described Ledbetter's recovery as "miraculous." Doctors told 5 On Your Side Ledbetter had no pulse and no blood when an ambulance brought him to the hospital. They didn't expect him to survive, and, if he did, they expected he would suffer severe neurological injuries.
Instead, Ledbetter walked out of the hospital 27 days later. His father said he was going to begin outpatient therapy five days a week for four hours a day following his release. In all, he required 39 units of blood to survive.
Chuck Hutson with the Vandalia Rotary Club told Vandalia Radio he had the idea to hold this blood drive in honor of Colin Ledbetter — and he hopes people will pay it forward and donate in the officer's honor.