"Smiles for Seth" Blood Drive Held in Eight-Year-Old's Memory

‘Smiles for Seth’ Fire Safety Event to Resume in 2021

On August 13, 2020, the American Red Cross hosted a blood drive in memory of Seth Creenan at Glendale Elementary School. In 2018, Seth was in third grade when he tragically passed away at eight years old due to a fire in his family’s Tonawanda home. 

Mike Zekas, Seth Creenan’s grandfather, standing in front of a mural at Glendale Elementary School (Seth is the child holding the sign in the mural).

“The school district played a huge part in our healing process, their outreach to us was amazing,” said Mike Zekas, Seth’s grandfather. 

Seth’s family agreed to honor him through a blood drive this year after plans for the second annual Smiles for Seth fire safety and prevention event were put on hold due to COVID-19. The blood drive was successful, collecting 24 units of blood, which can help save up to 72 lives. The need for blood is constant, even during a pandemic. Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control.

The goal of the Smiles for Seth event is to work together with local fire departments and the Red Cross to increase awareness of the importance of fire safety among families -- and ultimately save lives. The first event was arranged in June 2019 with the help of Seth’s family, Glendale Elementary School administration and local  Red Cross leadership. 

The Red Cross provided assistance to Zekas’ family immediately following the October 2018 house fire by arranging hotel accommodations. Later on, when a local Red Cross board member learned that a fire safety event in Seth’s memory was in the works, they offered to incorporate the Sound the Alarm program.  

“The Red Cross has been on board with us through the entire process and they were just as disappointed as we are about not being able to do the event this year,” Zekas added. 

Zekas hopes the event will continue to help capture parents’ attention. “The fire departments will come to the school and often do a fire drill at the school and hand out pamphlets to take home, and a lot of the time the parents don't really pay attention,” said Zekas. “Statistics show that there are not a lot of school fires, there are a lot of fires at home.” 

Did you know that if a fire starts in your home you may have as little as two minutes to escape?

Does your family have an escape plan?

Have you practiced that escape plan? 

Do you have smoke alarms? 

When is the last time you checked to make sure your smoke alarms are working? 

It is important to educate yourself, educate your family and be prepared.

“If we can prevent one family from going through what we have gone through, then we have done our job,” said Zekas

The stage was set for this year’s Smiles for Seth event to expand, with plans to involve each elementary school and all of the local fire companies after the Sweet Home district superintendent witnessed the impact Smiles for Seth had in 2019. Zekas is thankful for the continued support from the community, and hopes to resume the event in 2021 when community members can safely attend. 

In times of crisis, the Red Cross is fortunate to witness the best of humanity as people roll up a sleeve to help those in need. Because about 80% of blood donations are made at drives hosted by community organizations, schools and businesses, the Red Cross urgently needs the help of both blood donors and blood drive hosts to ensure blood products are readily available for patients. Learn more and sign up to sponsor a drive by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/HostADrive.  

Blood and platelet donors can make an appointment through the Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS, or by enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Story by: Nicole Mauro, American Red Cross