Motorcycle crash survivor thanks first responders for pre-hospital blood transfusion

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- A Pueblo man reunited with AMR first responders who saved his life thanks to the prehospital whole blood program following a motorcycle accident in 2025.

John Mazanec suffered a severe leg injury in the crash last August. He lost consciousness, and his leg was bleeding profusely.

First responders say they were able to save him thanks to the prehospital whole-blood program, which allows EMS agencies to provide blood transfusions to patients before they arrive at the hospital.

Southern Colorado is among the few regions nationwide to allow this type of care.

"I'm like, I'm fan-boying. Like, seriously," Mazanec said Monday at the reunion. "It's different for me because I don't remember any of the beginning. I'm joining the movie halfway through. To see these guys and to understand what they had to do to get me to this point is cool."

Less than 2% of EMS agencies have access to the treatment. The success of the program could lead to more states adopting it, says officials.

The leading cause of death on the field is blood loss, according to Mike Lening, AMR operations manager. The program allows paramedics to transfuse blood minutes before patients could get it in the ER. Those minutes can mean the difference between life and death, according to first responders.

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