On April 5th 2025 I was home alone unpacking boxes in the kitchen so we could move into our new home in the following days.
I heard a loud sound and ran to our bedroom window, looked up over my shoulder and was instantly knocked to the ground surrounded by darkness. I was face down and frog legged with a shattered pelvis. It was a massive tree, 4 feet in diameter, crushing me.
I broke into tears, screaming for help but no one heard me. It began to rain and I could feel the weight of everything on top of me. Attic insulation was up against my face and became saturated with rain water. Everything was so heavy. I couldn’t move. I was going to drown or be crushed (or unbeknownst to me, bleed) to death.
I did the only thing I knew to do. I prayed and surrendered my life to the Lord. Full, absolute surrender. I asked that He allow me to watch over George and Claire for the rest of their lives and to give Alan the strength to do it alone and to move on. Absolute, full surrender. I laid my head down to die.
It was moments later that a neighbor found me. When first responders arrived on the scene it took them three and a half hours to get me out.
All my love to the men of Engine 12, Rescue Unit 2 and Truck 9.
I was bleeding to death, with the tree acting as a tourniquet. By the grace of God, and the help of our dear friend Michael Cross we got the UAMS trauma surgeon on call, Dr. Ben Davis, to the scene along with UAMS ED nurse manager Carrie Knauer. They brought me blood. William McCullar was able to climb under the debris and get to my arm to give me the life saving blood and meds. I’ve never been more relieved than I was after seeing William's face. I received 4 units of blood in the field.
Blood on the scene saved my life and allowed me to make it to UAMS - barely. I was immediately rushed into countless life-saving surgeries, during which I eventually needed another blood transfusion, receiving 15 units of packed red blood cells, 15 units of plasma and 2 units of platelets.
Donor blood, along with about 100 other acts of God, saved my life on April 5th.
It is now my life’s mission to advocate to make prehospital blood the standard of care in Arkansas. I’m working with a team of brilliant people - trauma surgeons, pathologists, EMS personnel and directors, and Our Blood Institute in Little Rock - to make this happen.
A lot of you have reached out wanting to help me but are unsure how. I am humbly asking for your support of this initiative by giving blood. Money can't buy it and lives like mine are depending on it.
Arkansas is facing an extreme, critical blood and donor shortage. We are only collecting ⅔ of what we are using.
One blood donation can save up to three lives.
I’m partnering up with Our Blood Institute and will be spearheading a series of blood drives. We are so excited to make this happen! More information on this to come soon, but in the meantime... Go give blood! You can schedule an appointment online.
When minutes matter, donor blood can save a life, like mine, and the most amazing thing about surviving is being able to be a mom.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Katie McClanahan
Be there for someone's tomorrow...because it could be yours.
