Tony Addotta, a longtime American Red Cross volunteer, transports blood from the donation center to area hospitals. He was making deliveries Friday morning, Dec. 23, and wrapped up just before noon as a blizzard was making its way through the city of Buffalo.

"I couldn't believe the number of cars that pulled off to the side of the road or just stopped in the road cause they couldn't see," said Addotta.

What You Need To Know

  • The American Red Cross is honoring ordinary people doing extraordinary things

  • Red Cross blood transport volunteers are among those who braved the elements during the Christmas blizzard

  • Volunteers were driving the gift of life to area hospitals

Days after, Addotta still had difficulty getting around, navigating major roadways, clogged with snow, reduced to one lane.

"It was just terrible, just terrible," said Addotta. "From point A to point B it was unbelievable. I hadn't seen that in probably a decade."

Longtime volunteer driver John Gnann helped Addotta split the route, but he too had to navigate closed roads during his runs once the snow had settled.

"It's my job. It's my duty," said Gnann. "It was the unknown I guess of, and the fear in the back of your mind that you're going to get stuck, which would be horrible obviously."

Dean Stanley also delivered blood after the storm as the cleanup was underway.

"It was difficult at times," said Stanley. "It was more not knowing what you were going to be up against. But by the time we went out, they were passable."

Roads were not too bad for long time volunteer David Andolora either, who makes stat, or emergency runs, to hospitals all across the state and in Northern Pennsylvania.

He delivered blood to Batavia, and navigated alternate routes as the thruway was closed.

"It was snowing pretty good, but they weren't impassable, but you had to slow down. You couldn't go your normal drive," said Andolora.

While all four are appreciative of the Red Cross recognition, neither say they did anything heroic.

"I really don't feel like a hero, I just did what they asked me to do," said Andolora.

"I was just doing what we normally do," said Stanley. "We take the blood out to people that need it. And it's a volunteer job, but it was my job."

"If I had the blood strapped on my back and climbed over a snowbank or had to walk 10 miles or something, I'd say OK,"said Gnann.

"We're volunteers, we get more out of it than people think," said Addotta. "We're just doing a job. Hero? We just did our job."

And that's why Tony, David, Dean and John are your 2023 Blood Services Red Cross Real Heroes.