The community is being asked to donate blood for a married couple critically injured in a car accident in Manatí, Puerto Rico. Dr. Regino Colón Alsina, executive director of the Administración de Servicios Médicos de Puerto Rico (ASEM), made the appeal, citing the need for donations to support the couple's medical treatment. The accident occurred on Saturday, involving Carlos Meléndez Guadalupe and Gendy Rivera Nevárez, who was seven months pregnant and had to undergo an emergency cesarean section.
Their newborn is in stable condition, but the couple remains in critical condition. A blood drive is scheduled for Thursday, October 1, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Asociación Puertorriqueña del Norte de los Adventistas del Séptimo Día in Manatí. Colón emphasized the importance of voluntary blood donations to maintain adequate reserves for patients at the Centro Médico de Puerto Rico and other hospitals.