Blood drive honors resiliency of Mid-Missouri burn victim

CENTRALIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Red Cross held a blood drive in honor of a firefighter who was severely burned at a bonfire in Mexico, Missouri.

The blood drive was held Saturday in Centralia at the Holy Spirit Church from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

MU Health Care shared the story of Eli Beasely, a professional federal wildland firefighter, Marine and now flight instructor. Seventy-five percent of his body was severely burned in 2018 when trying to light a fire at a family gathering, the wood was doused in several different accelerants.

Beasely tells ABC 17 he wanted to help collect blood because he's seen first hand how important it is in an emergency.

"My wife needed a blood transfusion to stay alive, the day my little brother was born he needed a blood transfusion to stay alive," Beasely said. "These two people are still raising kids and doing amazing things in the world right now. And I need what, 27 units of blood to stay alive."