Family Of Boy Hit By Car Asking For Blood Donations
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Michael Schaaf is an out going little boy who loves to play sports. "He loves football, he loves sports," said Michael's mother Lee Dees. "We put him into soccer and he loved to soar in soccer, he was a goalie."
But the 10-year-old is now in need of help. "He said, 'Mom can I go play for just a little bit?' and I said 'Well boy, you earned it,'" Dees recalls.
On April 9 Michael went outside to play. Later that day Michael's mother got a disturbing knock at the door.
"It was another mother coming and letting me know, hollering at me, to tell me I'm sorry but Michael's been hit by a car."
"I went to the scene and seen my son and he breathed four times," Dees said with tears in her eyes. "I panicked. You don't know what to do with your son laying on the ground and you can't help him."
Michael is now at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth. He is in a medically induced comma and is in need of blood transfusions. The family is coming forward with their story in hopes of encouraging people to donate blood. Not only for Michael, but for others who are also in need.
"You can go to any Carter bus or Carter center and donate your blood," explained Amy Anderson, Michael's sister. "It's just another way to help out our family. The medical bills are very expensive."
The fourth grader is in critical condition but his mom says she believes her son will pull through.
"He looked at me for the first time yesterday.That was just a miracle for me because I was asking God I just want to see his eyes again and I got to see them."
The family has limited funds so Carter Blood Care has agreed to put Michael on the donor list. Donating for Michael will help reduce his medical bill for his transfusions. Just give the blood center Michael's donor number, 050581.
The family has also set up an account for monetary donations to cover medical expenses. Checks can be made out to "Benefit for Michael Schaaf" and hand delivered to any Pinnacle Bank location or mailed to the bank's branch in Keane: P.O. Box 676 Keane,Texas 76059.
Update 4/25/2011 @11 a.m.: We initially spelled Michael's last name incorrectly in this story. It has been corrected.