The Mauger Family

Channing Mauger was supposed to be the valedictorian of his class. He was enrolled in AP courses at school, he was a cross country runner, he biked to and from school every day, he worked part-time at the local Weis Market. By all accounts, he was simply a great kid. On February 6, 2013, he came home from school and told his mom, “the kids say I’m yellow.” In the midst of the winter months, under artificial light within their home, Channing’s parents didn’t notice. But his skin and eyes were indeed yellow. The next day, he went for blood work and two days later, he was in the hospital. Through multiple tests, biopsies and surgeries, Channing was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare disease in which the bone marrow stops producing much-needed platelets and red cells for a healthy immune system. In the weeks that followed, Channing’s parents watched him grow weaker and weaker as his organs shut down, one by one. Since his admission to the hospital, Channing had received blood and platelets from at least 100 donors. And during those weeks, Channing’s mother, Kendra, decided she needed to do something about increasing awareness about the need for blood and platelet donations. In seven weeks, Channing was gone. Over 300 donors have given blood in his honor, and more blood drives are planned. And Channing’s parents will be right there, thanking people for sharing the “gift of life.”