Following the 9/11 attacks, Red Crossers on the ground in New York City helped people in need who were escaping the devastation. But here in Massachusetts, people wanted to do more. So in 2002, the Red Cross and the Boston Red Sox held the first ever Day of Remembrance Blood Drive. Since then, the event has grown to three events across Massachusetts. Since 2002, hundreds of people have rolled up their sleeves inside Fenway Park to give back. To date, nearly 14,000 units of blood have been collected just at this event.

Drives were held simultaneously in Boston, Worcester and Stow Massachusetts this year, collecting more than 420 units of blood. First responders at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow, donated blood honoring the memories of colleagues who gave their lives rescuing people in New York City. In Worcester, the Worcester Woo Sox held their first blood drive inside Polar Park, mirroring the years-long Red Sox connection that occurs every year in Boston.

“For the last 25 years, the Boston Red Sox and the American Red Cross have been partnering to make the blood drive happen,” said Holly Grant, CEO of the Red Cross of Massachusetts. “This commitment of having this blood drive here at Fenway Park has given people from across the state the opportunity to unite, to remember, and give back to those who are in need in a very truly selfless way by giving blood.”

The Red Cross and the Boston Red Sox welcomed Tracy Antonelli and her daughters to the drive on Sept. 11 in Boston. The Antonellis have a personal connection to those who donate life-saving blood.

“My daughters and I have a genetic blood disorder called beta thalassemia, and we require blood transfusions about every three weeks,” said Tracy Antonelli. “For the girls, they've been transfused since we adopted them. And for people like us, donated blood affords us everything we have in our lives. So all of our happy moments are thanks to blood donors.”

Giving blood on the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance is more than an act of generosity; it’s a living tribute to the spirit of unity and compassion that carried our nation through one of its darkest days. Each donation helps ensure patients in need have access to lifesaving blood when every second counts.

This time of year, blood donations often decline as families shift their focus to back-to-school routines and end-of-summer plans. However, the need for blood is constant—someone in the U.S. requires a transfusion every two seconds. The American Red Cross, which supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood, plays a critical role in meeting that need. In Massachusetts alone, dozens of hospitals rely on the Red Cross to provide blood for accident victims, cancer patients, mothers experiencing complications during childbirth and others facing medical emergencies.

In 2009, September 11 was designated as a National Day of Service and Remembrance to honor the 2,977 people who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks of 2001. The day is observed through volunteering and acts of service, with many Americans paying tribute by supporting their communities. It is one of only two officially recognized Days of Service, along with Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Learn more at 911day.org.