Students Give Blood for Accident Victim

Royal High students gathered Monday and Tuesday to offer their support--and blood--to Erin Fonvergne at a time when she needs it most.

Erin, a Royal High School freshman, was struck by a car in front of the school Oct. 5.

By the time school ended Tuesday, students had donated 74 units of blood, a little better than average for a fall blood drive, said Tracee Elder, a community relations representative with United Blood Services.

The units will be used to restock blood banks with the O-positive blood type Erin has needed in her recovery. If students donate blood other than O-positive, it is donated to someone else in Erin’s name.

The Oct. 5 accident left Erin with two broken bones in her left lower leg, a pelvis fractured in three places, a lacerated spleen, a damaged left kidney, a hematoma on her lung, a fractured skull and numerous stitches, according to her father, Mark Fonvergne, speaking from the intensive care unit at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Woodland Hills.

She was transferred to Woodland Hills Oct. 13, according to Simi Valley Hospital spokeswoman JoLynn del la Torre. She is in stable condition, her father said, and, with an intense physical therapy schedule, is expected to make a full recovery.

“She’s been gabbing on the phone and all that,” he said. “She’s very coherent.”

Most of the Royal students who took time out of their day to get stuck with needles and fill small plastic bags with their blood don’t know Erin. Because those who donate blood must be at least 17, most of the donors are seniors.

They say they are glad to help.

“Everybody feels bad and they just want to help out,” 17-year-old Adam Lev said.

Many students signed a large card taped to a wall in the room where the blood drive took place.

Says one inscription: “Get well--a whole life is waiting for you.”