By: Scott Marder, American Red Cross

When David and Oni Dandridge met as teenagers at Edmondson High School in Baltimore, they never imagined the journey ahead. High school sweethearts who married and built a life together, they share a love for travel, music and raising their three children. But behind their smiles is a story of resilience – and the lifesaving power of blood donation.

Oni first learned about sickle cell disease when David became seriously ill early in their relationship. “I didn’t know anything about it,” she recalls. “When he got sick for the first time in front of me, I realized how serious it was.” Determined to support him, she educated herself about the disease and what it meant for their future.

When the couple decided to start a family, Oni learned she carries the sickle cell trait, a discovery that added new layers to their journey. “I didn’t know what that meant at first,” she says. “But I knew we’d face whatever came together.”

David was diagnosed at age two, long before newborn screenings were common. Growing up, he managed frequent hospital visits without needing transfusions. That changed in 2001, when a severe pain crisis led to his first blood transfusion. “I didn’t want anyone else’s blood,” David admits. “But the doctors told me, ‘If you don’t do this, you won’t make it.’”

Nothing, however, prepared them for what happened in 2014. After a trip to Las Vegas, David collapsed from a sickle cell crisis that triggered multiple strokes and organ failure. “He needed 16 units of blood in the first few days,” Oni says. “I had never seen anything like it.”

David spent months in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, learning to walk and talk again. Doctors warned he might never work or drive, but David defied the odds. “They told me I wouldn’t walk again,” he says. “But here I am.”

Through it all, Oni became his fiercest advocate. “I had to learn everything – how to speak up for him, how to make decisions,” she says. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but we had a great support system.”

Today, the Dandridges focus on living fully. They love road trips, cruises and family time. David enjoys cutting hair and listening to old-school music, especially The Temptations. Oni balances her career as a federal IT specialist with community health work, advocating for sickle cell awareness.

Their children – Skylar, David III and Donovan – also live with sickle cell disease. Skylar has already needed a transfusion during surgery. “You never know when blood will be needed,” Oni says. “That’s why donors are so important.”

Today, the family speaks out to encourage others to donate blood, especially in the Black community. “Find out if you carry the [sickle cell] trait,” David urges. “If you don’t, please donate. Your blood could save someone’s life.”

Oni agrees: “There are new treatments for sickle cell, but the fastest way to help someone in crisis is through blood donation. It’s a gift that can’t be replaced.”

You Can Help Save Lives

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. For patients with sickle cell disease – most of whom are Black – blood from donors of the same race or ethnicity can be critical for the best match. You can make a difference for families like the Dandridges.

Schedule your appointment today at RedCrossBlood.org.