ORLANDO, Fla. – Pulse survivors who suffered multiple gunshot wounds during a mass shooting at the Orlando nightclub shared their stories Monday and encouraged others to donate blood.
The survivors Jeff Xcentric, Ilka Reyes, Bryan Carabello,Tony Marrero and Angel Colon -- all needed blood transfusions after the June 12 tragedy, which was the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
It took more than 60 donors to save their lives, according to OneBlood.
"As the one-year memorial of the Pulse tragedy nears, these five brave survivors are teaming up with OneBlood to share their stories about how blood donors saved their lives and are encouraging people not to wait for a tragedy to donate blood," the blood center said in a statement.
[MORE: Find donor location | Make appointment | Here Pulse survivors' testimonials]
Carabello, who was shot twice in the stomach and required five surgeries, said without the blood donations he wouldn't have been here today.
"If I didn't have blood transfusions I wouldn't be with my family," he said. "I wouldn't be alive right now."
Thousands of people flooded the OneBlood donation centers on June 12 after the shooting when hospital officials said they needed blood for the more than 50 victims fighting for their lives.
"It was overwhelming because people came together to donate blood to save more lives," Carabello said of the community's response.
Within seven days after Pulse, OneBlood collected more than 28,000 units of blood, Susan Forbes, with OneBlood said. More than 33 percent of those donors had never given blood before.
Forbes said that less than 10 percent of those who gave in the week following the tragedy have returned.
"The big message is 'Don't wait for the tragedy to become a blood donor, because the blood is needed every day,'" Forbes said.
Xcentric was shot four times and still needs three more surgeries after the eight he's already undergone. He said by the time he got to the hospital on June 12 he was blue.
Xcentric said it wasn't until he looked at his medical records that he realized just how much blood he lost. He received more than 40 units of blood.
"It's crazy that's 40 different donors, over 40 different donors that donated, and what's even more crazy is I'm one of the rare blood types," Xcentric said of his Type O-negative blood.
The victims said they don't want people to wait for a tragedy to donate because it takes time to process the blood after it's donated.
Reyes was shot nine times and received 11 units of blood the day of the shooting. She said she didn't realize the importance of donating until she needed blood.
"Blood gives you the life to continue to move on," Reyes said.
Barbara Poma, the owner of Pulse, said last week that she intends to build a memorial and museum at the site of the nightclub.