Blood drive in honor of Firefighter Spencer Tejedas

Update (July 30):

In advance of Friday's blood drive in honor of injured Gresham Firefighter Spencer Tejedas, his family has provided an update on his condition. The family is not available for media interviews and will not be responding to reporter inquiries; we ask that you please respect their privacy at this time. 

The blood drive is this Friday, Aug. 2 at Gresham City Hall, 9 am to 3 pm. Learn more. 

From Firefighter Tejedas' wife:

"It’s impossible to put into words how much the outpouring of support and kindness from the community has meant to our family during this unimaginable time. We want to thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for caring about us-- some of you we are close to, but many of you are complete strangers, and there is so much beauty in that. We feel completely wrapped up in love, which has given us the strength to move forward.

Spencer is now off of ECMO (life support) and will hopefully undergo his seventh and final surgery next week. While there have been challenges and setbacks, we are very encouraged by the significant progress he has made in recent weeks. He is more awake, aware, and very motivated to get better. He has an incredible, dedicated team of surgeons, doctors and nurses at Legacy Emanuel that have worked tirelessly to heal him. Even at his worst, Spencer greets his care team every day with smiles, gratitude, and patience, which simply speaks to the kind of person he is. His doctors frequently comment that Spencer’s drive and motivation will make all the difference in his recovery. Knowing how strong he is both mentally and physically, we have no doubt that he will beat all the odds and surpass any goals set for him. 

Today--after 8.5 weeks of hospitalization--he was finally able to FaceTime our boys (1 and 4) for the first time. We are holding on to these small wins and beautiful moments for now.

If you are able, please consider donating blood in his honor at the Aug. 2 blood drive at Gresham City Hall. Blood donations have saved his life, and we want to do anything we can to give back.

To schedule an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter the sponsor code: GreshamFD.

With love and gratitude, 

Melea Tejedas"

The Gresham Fire Department is hosting a blood drive in honor of Firefighter Spencer Tejedas, who is currently recovering from severe injuries sustained in the line of duty. The event will be held on Friday, August 2, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Gresham City Hall Conference Center, 1333 Northwest Eastman Parkway, Gresham.

In support of Firefighter Tejedas, the Gresham Fire Department is encouraging community members to donate blood. To schedule an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter the sponsor code: GreshamFD. 

On Thursday, May 30, Gresham Fire Department and Portland Fire and Rescue responded to reports of a duplex fire on the 1300 block of Southeast 182nd Street. The incident required a complex response due to the rapidly evolving nature of the fire.  

Three Gresham firefighters were injured and transported to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. Two have since been released, but Firefighter Spencer Tejedas remains hospitalized with severe burns covering over 45% of his body. 

“Our firefighters risk their lives and show up for our community when they need it most,” said Gresham Fire Chief Scott Lewis. “This blood drive is a tangible way our community can impact Spencer’s recovery and show up for the Tejedas family during this difficult time.” 

Eligible donors of all blood types are welcome. However, individuals with type O, B-, or A- blood are especially encouraged to consider making a Power Red donation, which maximizes the impact by collecting red blood cells, the most commonly transfused blood component. 

Join us in supporting Firefighter Spencer Tejedas and others in need by donating blood. Your generosity can make a significant difference in the lives of many patients.