By Winston Henvey/American Red Cross

Travelling almost 300 miles to ensure patients receive lifesaving blood in moments of critical need, Larry Mueller delivers care with a mantra carried over from his childhood.

“Leave things better than the way you found them.”

At least once a month, Mueller arrives at Red Cross blood donation centers between 4 and 5:30 a.m. to pick up and verify blood shipments for transport to hospitals across Texas. He then drives about two and a half hours to Madisonville, where he exchanges donation trucks with a Houston-area Red Cross driver.

Following the exchange, Mueller delivers two to five boxes of blood products to Temple, Texas, before returning to Dallas by 2 p.m. to drop off empty boxes for use in future blood deliveries.

When asked why, Mueller responds, “because I can,” a slogan carried over from his parents.

The middle of seven children, Mueller was raised in a family that stressed the importance of serving your community.

“I do these things because I can,” Mueller said. “Both my mom and dad lived this idea before our eyes by their actions. Dad coached baseball and was involved in our church, the American Legion and the Knights of Columbus.  Mom was involved as much as she could with church and hospital volunteer duties.

Whether it was coaching Little League Baseball, volunteering as a choir member and cantor at his church, serving St. Vincent de Paul, the Knights of Columbus, North Texas HopeKids or serving the American Red Cross, Mueller credits his volunteerism to a simple principle he learned growing up: Help when you can.

While living in Illinois, Mueller encountered the American Red Cross during a blood drive at his work. After a blood drive in 1998, he began regularly scheduling apheresis donations, sometimes taking up to two hours.

“What was kind of ironic was the American Red Cross blood facility in Peoria, was literally across the street from where I worked,” Mueller said. “It was simple for me to go over there and give blood.”

From there, Mueller began asking Red Cross representatives if there were any volunteer opportunities. By 2016, Mueller became a driver for the Red Cross following his retirement.

To Mueller, giving blood was an easy way to give to help someone in critical need, citing only 15% of eligible donors give blood nationwide.

“In its own way, what do you have that's more important than trying to help save lives,” Mueller said.

North Texas residents can volunteer or give blood today to offer someone lifesaving assistance.