Blood donations gave Marc Coronel five more days with his father. The experience inspired him to become a Red Cross Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) in his dad's memory. Marc's father, Anthony Coronel, was a retired U.S. Navy military police officer and Desert Storm veteran. He experienced complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer, and was placed on a ventilator. Marc was faced with saying an unexpected goodbye to his father, but thanks to generous Red Cross blood donors, Anthony lived for five more days. One of the last conversations Marc had with his dad included a promise that he would volunteer as a Red Cross EMR at the Rose Parade. In between hospital visits, Marc finished his 60 hours of EMR training — an act that made his father proud. Marc fulfilled his promise the following year and served as a Rose Parade EMR volunteer with the RedCrossLA. In this vital role, he tended to emergencies and provided critical first aid care along the p...