Helping others comes naturally to retired New York City firefighter Chad Trusnovec, a lifelong Suffolk resident who has volunteered with the Yaphank Fire Department for 40 years. This week, he reached an extraordinary milestone—his 10th gallon of donated blood, marking 80 donations over 35 years.
Trusnovec, who retired as a lieutenant with the FDNY, joked with his friends about the achievement. “I said, ‘Ten gallons today,’ and they looked at me like I was crazy. I told them, not all at once—you don’t even have that much in your body.”
A regular at the fire department’s Ladies Auxiliary blood drives, Trusnovec donates double red blood cells, a process that allows him to give twice the amount per session. “Because I have O-positive blood, which is always in demand, they use an apheresis machine to take the red cells and return the plasma,” he explained. “I do it every 112 days. It’s just something I’ve always done. It’s in my nature to help people.”
The most recent drive was held in support of Madeline’s Mission, promoted by Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, whose efforts benefit a local child battling PKAN, a rare neurodegenerative disorder affecting fewer than one in a million children.
“Chad’s dedication embodies the best of our community,” DeStefano said. “He’s spent his life saving lives—first as a firefighter, and now as a consistent blood donor who’s given enough to help hundreds of patients. He’s a local hero in every sense.”
Trusnovec’s family has lived on Main Street since 1760, and his 90-year-old mother still resides in the same home. “We’ve been in Yaphank a long time,” he noted.
When he’s not giving blood or volunteering, Trusnovec enjoys hunting and fishing. “I’ll keep donating as long as I can,” he said. “You never know when someone you love might need it.”