PUEBLO, Colo. (KOAA) — John Mazanec suffered near-fatal injuries in a motorcycle crash. A new AMR program allowing paramedics to administer whole blood in the field is credited with saving his life.
- Watch's News5's coverage of the whole blood program below:
John Mazanec's life changed on September 4, 2025 when a normal motorcycle ride home from work ended in a near-fatal crash.
Now, he is reuniting with the first responders who saved his life using a rare pre-hospital blood transfusion.
Mazanec does not remember the crash near Orman Avenue and Pueblo Community College. His wife was alerted to the emergency by a Life360 crash detection notification on his phone.
The crash left Mazanec with the following:
- two broken femurs
- shattered right knee
- missing bicep
- broken wrist
- broken nose
- traumatic brain injury
AMR paramedics Audrey Nolen and John Trevino arrived at the scene. Nolen said she immediately recognized the severity of the situation and called for a unit carrying whole blood from the north side of town.
"The second I got on scene, I was like, we're gonna need blood," said Nolen.
The paramedics stabilized Mazanec and established access to administer the blood as soon as it arrived. It was the first time Nolen and Trevino had administered blood in the field, and only the second time the procedure had been done in Pueblo.
"To see someone at literally that close to death, having the worst day of their life, and then you drop him off at the hospital, and you're on to the next call," said Trevino.
Trevino noted how meaningful it was to see Mazanec's recovery in person.
"Seeing the comparison from how when we first met, unfortunately, to now and how our treatments have done what they're supposed to do is really cool," said Trevino.
Mazanec received 13 units of blood in total.
Dr. Thomas Herzog, trauma medical director at UCHealth Parkview, said administering whole blood in the field provides patients with red blood cells, platelets, and clotting factors immediately, rather than just replacing volume with saline.
"We're setting them up for success by giving them whole blood in the field," said Herzog.
Mike Lening, a representative with AMR, said the program took two years of research to implement. Only about 2% of EMS agencies nationwide carry whole blood due to the logistical challenges of keeping it cold and warming it for administration.
Because AMR cannot bill patients for the blood, the program relies on funding from the UCHealth Parkview Foundation and community donations.
Lening said the program has seen 26 administrations to date.
"It's amazing to still be here with the help of AMR and everybody, and to actually see the people who saved me is pretty cool," said Mazanec.
Mazanec's family is now encouraging the community to participate in blood drives to support the program that saved his life.
"If you're willing and able, then take the time and do it, because it's truly instrumental in saving so many people's lives," said Mazanec's wife, Alicia.
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This southeast Colorado reservoir completely dried out, taking away one of the best recreation spots
All that’s left of the Two Buttes Reservoir is a scattering of lifeless buoys, a rusty lawn chair, empty beer cans, and a number of fishing lures that have fallen into the water over the years.
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