There are moments in life that forever change the way we measure time.
Not by the hours on a clock...
but by the hugs we are given.
The words left unsaid.
The moments we would give anything to have back.
For the Wilson family of Hammondsport, time became priceless on August 31, 2023.
Their youngest son, Nathan, suffered a catastrophic rupture of the artery leading to his spleen. By the time he reached the hospital, his injuries were severe. Over the next eight days, Nathan endured six surgeries and received an astonishing 26 units of blood products.
Those next eight days were a miracle made possible by many hands.
By a remarkable medical team.
By Nathan's incredible determination.
And by complete strangers who had chosen, on some earlier day, to donate blood.
Nathan was unable to speak during those final days. Intubated, he communicated with his family using a small dry-erase board.
The final words he ever wrote were simple.
"need a hug."
Those three words have since become something much bigger than a memory.
They became a mission.
The Gift of More Time
After Nathan's passing, Paul and Gail Wilson, surrounded by dear friends and an entire community that refused to let them grieve alone, asked a simple question:
"How do we thank the people whose blood gave us eight more days?"
The answer became the
Nathan Wilson Memorial Blood Drive.
Its theme is beautifully simple:
Give the Gift of Time.
Because that is exactly what every blood donor gives.
Time for another birthday.
Time for another anniversary.
Time for one more conversation.
One more laugh.
One more hug.
A Barn Filled With Love
Each October, something remarkable happens inside an old cow barn on Pleasant Valley Road.
It becomes far more than a blood drive.
Neighbors arrive to roll up their sleeves.
Others come carrying homemade cookies, pies, breads, and baked treats for a donation-only bake sale where a dozen cookies might cost one dollar—or one hundred dollars—depending entirely on the generosity of the person buying them.
Local businesses and community members donate beautiful raffle prizes.
Friends embrace.
Strangers become family.
Some people don't come to donate blood at all.
They simply come to give—or receive—a hug.
It is difficult to explain unless you've experienced it.
The old barn becomes a place where grief is shared.
Hope is restored.
Lives are honored.
And love quietly wins.
A Community That Never Let Go
Here at Keuka Roots, we spend a great deal of time telling stories about the people who make this region extraordinary.
This is one of those stories.
The Hammondsport community has wrapped its arms around the Wilson family from the very beginning. Businesses, neighbors, volunteers, bakers, donors, friends, and complete strangers have transformed unimaginable loss into an annual act of compassion.
Together, the first three blood drives have collected
235 units of blood.
That means those donations have the potential to touch
more than 700 lives.
Just stop and think about that.
Hundreds of families who may never know Nathan's name have already been blessed because of his story.
The Bench That Keeps Speaking
Nathan's legacy extends beyond the blood drive.
A dear couple, who themselves experienced the unimaginable loss of a daughter years earlier, donated a memorial bench in Nathan's honor.
If you've walked along the waterfront at the head of Keuka Lake, you've probably seen it.
It sits quietly overlooking the water near the Glenn Curtiss airplane weather vane.
On the bench rests a journal.
Visitors from around the world have filled its pages.
Some leave prayers.
Some write memories.
Some share encouragement.
One young man even proposed to his girlfriend there.
She said yes.
Sometime later, they returned as an engaged couple to leave another message.
The Wilson family periodically gathers those pages into binders they keep at home.
They read them often.
At the blood drive, those binders are available for others to read as well—a reminder that love continues long after loss.
Why Your Donation Matters
The need for blood never stops.
- Every
two seconds, someone in America needs blood or platelets.
- One donation can help save up to
three lives.
- Whole blood lasts only a few weeks before it expires.
- Platelets last less than a week.
- Although millions of Americans are eligible to donate, only a small percentage actually do.
That means every single donor truly matters.
More Than Blood
This story isn't really about blood.
It's about community.
It's about neighbors showing up.
It's about remembering someone by helping someone else.
It's about turning heartbreak into hope.
It's about discovering that sometimes the greatest legacy we can leave isn't found in monuments or headlines.
Sometimes it is found in an old barn.
In a handwritten note.
In a warm embrace.
In eight precious days.
And in three unforgettable words...
"need a hug."
Join the Wilson Family in Giving the Gift of Time
The Nathan Wilson Memorial Blood Drive will be held:
Saturday, October 17
8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Donna & Bill Hutches' Barn
8336 Pleasant Valley Road
Hammondsport, New York
Whether you donate blood, purchase baked goods, buy raffle tickets, make a contribution to the American Red Cross Blood Services Division, or simply stop by to share a hug, your presence matters.
Because someone, somewhere, is hoping for just a little more time.
And perhaps...
one more hug.
A Keuka Roots Note
Communities are often defined by how they celebrate together.
But perhaps they are defined even more by how they carry one another through sorrow.
Hammondsport has shown, year after year, what it means to love your neighbors well.
Nathan's story reminds us that while we cannot always choose how life unfolds, we can choose how we respond.
With compassion.
With generosity.
With open arms.
With a heartfelt hug.
And with the simple gift of giving someone else... more time.
Stay Rooted. Stay Keuka.™
❤️ Give the Gift of Time
Right now, the American Red Cross has declared a national blood emergency. Blood donations have dropped significantly, and because blood cannot be stockpiled—it has a limited shelf life—every donation matters more than ever.
When Nathan needed blood, complete strangers gave their family something priceless: more time. Those generous donors gave them eight precious days, more hugs, and memories to cherish forever.
Today, we invite you to help give that same gift to another family.
A single blood donation can help save up to three lives. Together, through the Nathan Wilson Memorial Blood Drive, our incredible community has already donated 235 units of blood, potentially helping 705 people. Imagine how many more lives we can touch this year.
If you're unable to donate blood, you can still make a meaningful difference by visiting our donation bake sale, purchasing raffle tickets, or making a financial contribution to the American Red Cross Blood Services Division. Thanks to your generosity, together they've raised more than $15,000 to support this life-saving mission.
You Can Sign Up Today!
Appointments are now open, and scheduling your donation only takes a few minutes. By reserving your spot now, you'll help ensure that life-saving blood is available when another family needs the gift of more time.
Schedule your blood donation today:
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=Nate%20Wilson
Join Us
Nathan Wilson Memorial Blood Drive
Saturday, October 17
8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Donna & Bill Hutches' Barn
8336 Pleasant Valley Road
Hammondsport, NY
Whether you come to donate blood, enjoy homemade baked goods, try your luck in the raffles, make a contribution, or simply stop by to share a hug, you will be helping carry Nathan's legacy forward.
To make a monetary donation:
Venmo: @Nathan-Wilson-0831
Or mail a check to:
Paul Wilson
P.O. Box 103
Hammondsport, NY 14840
Please make checks payable to The American Red Cross and write Blood Services Division in the memo line.
Finally, please help us spread the word by sharing this with your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. You never know whose life your share—or your donation—may help save.
A Note from the Wilson Family:
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for the love, prayers, hugs, and unwavering support you have shown our family since Nathan's passing.
With love and gratitude,
Gail, Nicholas, Megan, Madelyn, Owen & Paul
❤️🫂 "need a hug."
