Very recently when my cousin was to undergo surgery my dad was the first one to extend his arm.
Disappointed that he was, AIIMS blood bank turned him back as he is a few years over 70 hence he can’t donate blood.
The disappointment was so visible as my father loves his niece, more so because he is used to being the go to guy when anybody wanted rare blood donation. My father has O negative blood group which is generally difficult to get and also makes him a universal donor.

Blood group type O negative blood is the variety of blood that has the lowest risk of causing serious reactions for most people who receive it. Because of this, it's sometimes called the universal blood donor type.
When my father started donating, I wasn’t even born and my dad was still in college/ university. Started with some announcements on radio, which was the means of communication then. So from children to elderly he has managed to donate blood to all.
Some of our relatives are also his recipients .
When I was young it was a big deal because not many people were comfortable with blood donations, my grandma would keep saying his body is getting weak because of this( not to blame her such was the notion than). But all this made my Dad my hero, not that he was anything less if he hadn’t done this but the mere fact that my Dad is saving lives of people he didn’t even know filed my heart with a certain pride. I would gloat over it.
I understood the peace it brings you only when I donated for the first time- not that I have become a regular donor. I may still be the one to pass the buck but I know that if need be, I won’t hesitate to extend an arm.
My Dad has been more than a guiding light for me in so many ways, this is just one of the million others .
Really really proud