SAYRE, PA. (WETM) – May 17th is National Trauma Survivors Day. The Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre is marking the day by celebrating the strength and resilience of trauma survivors, and the care and dedication of the professionals who helped save their lives.

An event was held on the hospital’s helipad Wednesday, as two trauma survivors met with nurses, doctors, and helicopter flight nurses. Survivor Kevin Gibbs said he was riding his motorcycle with his girlfriend last June, when they hit a deer. He was airlifted to Robert Packer Hospital and spent a month in intensive care. On Wednesday, he met the doctor who saved him for the first time.

“Even though I took care of him when he was here during his accident, he doesn’t remember that,” said Dr. Steven Casos, Trauma Medical Director at Robert Packer Hospital. “This is why I love Trauma Survivors Day so much, because we get to meet face to face. The gratitude that he expresses to me is ennobling and keeps me going and doing what I do.”

“They’re all about saving lives, and I’m glad they saved mine,” said Gibbs. “I appreciate what everybody did for me, they took such great care of me.”

Farmer Marshall French held back tears as he described getting into an accident while trying to push start a neighbor’s truck down a hill.

“I’m so thankful for all the EMS people, I don’t remember the names of all the doctors and nurses, but I appreciate and love them all.”

“It’s nice to see,” said Flight Nurse David Slusser. “We don’t usually interact with anything after the fact, so today is a good moment, a good feeling.

Robert Packer Hospital also announced its helicopter now carries Whole Blood, which could help save even more lives.

“We normally carried packed red blood cells,” said Slusser. “Whole Blood adds a whole new meaning, it has clotting factors, and things like that, that trauma patients need that are depleted of when they’re bleeding, so it’s a game changer basically.”

The hospital is also hosting a dinner and reception Wednesday evening for six trauma survivors and their caregivers.