STANTON, Del. – On Monday, September 5, Maverick Week began and employees in the Christiana Donor Center have been wearing this year’s official Maverick T-shirts the Loch Ness monster styled “Happy Ness is donating blood.”
You see, Maverick loves monsters, among other things, and he turned 5 years old on Sunday, September 3. As his father, Jason Painter, said, “Maverick is turning 5 and he’s officially a handful. So, here’s a high five to all the donors who save lives. School is starting, and Maverick is getting ready to go into pre-k.” He is a brother to big sister Hailey and little sister Mylah. He just finished his first year of T-ball. He’s doing normal things thanks to donors who stepped up years ago and the doctors and nurses who treated him.”
Maverick was born on September 3, 2018, weighing 1 lb, 14 oz. as a 25-week preemie. He was the only one of triplets to survive. During his 105 days in the hospital, Maverick received eight transfusions of O negative blood — the only type that can be universally donated, making it the safest for premature babies.
The experience turned Maverick’s parents, Shane Simmons and Jason Painter, into fierce advocates for blood donations at the Blood Bank of Delmarva and for blood donations in general across the U.S.
Jason, Shane, Maverick and his little sister, Mylah, visited the Christiana Donor Center on Wednesday, September 6 to thank donors, and Channel 6ABC Action News journalist John Jankowski filmed a segment for the 5 o’clock news.
It was a nice, 30-second segment, and donors enjoyed meeting Maverick, Mylah and their parents.
Maverick Week will culminate with the fifth annual In Honor of Maverick Blood Drive to be held at Hacks Point Fire Company in Earleville, Maryland on Saturday, September 9.
