LifeFlight Patient and Family to Host Blood Drive in Standish
Darci Petrov will never forget the October day in 2016 when she received a call from her brother’s coworker that would change her family’s life forever. At the time, her brother, JJ Hanson, was an arborist working on a project in Bridgton. Darci was at her office in Portland, when she learned he was being transported in a LifeFlight of Maine helicopter after an accident involving some of the equipment.
“I just kept saying, ‘he’s my best friend,’” shared Darci, who at the time was unsure if she’d ever get to see her brother alive again.
With the help of local EMS, LifeFlight of Maine, nurses, doctors, surgeons, and dozens of blood donors, JJ survived. Now, ten years later, the siblings want to help give other families the second chance they were given. They are teaming up with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive in honor of JJ and as a way to thank everyone who played a role in his recovery.
“We realized the value of LifeFlight and the capabilities they have with providing blood products,” said JJ. “We want to try to help repay that.”
JJ was in a field, working on a project with his crew when the accident happened. A winch line, which is used to help move heavy logs, was on the conveyor belt nearby that fed into a wood chipper. The winch line was hidden by brush, and JJ didn’t see it when he went to turn on the conveyor belt.
“The force of turning it on untangled the winch line and wrapped it around JJ’s legs, just above the knee area,” said Darci.
JJ broke both of his femurs, and the winch line tore the flesh tissue and arteries from the back of his knees down.
Fortunately, JJ was able to hit the emergency stop button on the machine. JJ, who had years of experience as a first responder, yelled to his colleague to call for help, and specifically to ask for a LifeFlight helicopter to respond.
“This goes back to my years in the fire department in Calais,” said JJ, who spent more than a decade working for the department where he received extensive training. “We used LifeFlight a lot there. At the time I got hurt, I knew my legs were bleeding really bad. I knew LifeFlight was the only EMS provider in the State of Maine that’s allowed to carry blood products, so I was going to need it.”
LifeFlight of Maine is the only EMS service in the state allowed to initiate blood and plasma therapies. On every transport, medical crews are equipped with one unit of O-positive blood, one unit of O-negative blood, and a unit of never frozen plasma.
A United Ambulance crew was in the area, returning from another call, and immediately responded to the scene and confirmed the need for LifeFlight of Maine to be dispatched. The United Ambulance crew worked to stabilize JJ and drove him to Bridgton Hospital. The LifeFlight team met JJ there.
JJ was losing blood at an alarming rate. As soon as he arrived at the hospital, doctors began blood transfusions.
“Bridgton Hospital had just gotten a grant for a rapid blood transfusion machine,” said Darci. “JJ was the first to use it.”
The blood was enough to stabilize JJ, but he needed more advanced care than was available in Bridgton.
JJ was then flown by LifeFlight to Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) for further care. In the first 48 hours after his accident, he received 126 units of blood and blood products. As he recovered, JJ spent more than three months in two hospitals. He underwent 27 surgeries and lost his right-leg.
“I remember what feels like every second of those first two weeks. But one moment has always stayed with me,” said Darci. “JJ had just been moved out of the ICU and into a regular room. One of his favorite nurses came in carrying a thick folder. She said, ‘Every piece of paper in this file represents one unit of blood you were given. I counted 126.’”
Some of the pages in the file were still stained with blood, shared Darci. For her, these pages represented more than just blood products — they represented a community coming together to save her brother’s life.
“One hundred and twenty-six units. One hundred and twenty-six acts of generosity. One hundred and twenty-six strangers who had no idea they would play a role in saving his life,” she said.
The siblings said it’s been a long road to recovery, but marking ten years since the accident is a significant milestone. That’s why this October JJ and Darci are working with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive. Their goal: collect 126 donations.
The drive will be held on October 12, 2026, at the Standish Town Hall from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Donors are encouraged to schedule an appointment ahead of time via the Blood Donor App, or at www.RedCrossBlood.org (using sponsor code: StandishIHO). Additionally, people can sign up for mobile donation opportunities throughout the month at locations convenient to them.
“It’s a chance to give back in a way that truly matters,” said Darci. “If you’ve ever thought about donating, this is your moment. Because somewhere, someone is going to need those 126 units.”
Event Information:
Donate Blood in Support of JJ Hanson
Monday, October 12, 2026
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Standish Municipal Building (Sebago Lake Room)
175 Northeast Road, Standish
A flyer to share with your communities can be found below.
