DAYTON, OHIO – It’s a good day when the Dayton CBC can double down on two donations from two Larrys who are both “Donor for Life” legends.

Larry Smith and Larry Lapuh are both dedicated platelet donors.  Larry Smith made his 414^th lifetime donation Thursday, Feb. 24 and was soon joined by Larry Lapuh who made his 554^th.

It’s not easy being Larry Smith. He was born blind on the Fourth of July and abandoned on the steps of a state orphanage. He survived a cruel childhood to become a model citizen and an inspiration to many.  He was inducted into the National Donation Hall of Fame in 2015 and made his milestone 400th lifetime donation in 2020. He makes it look easy but admits it’s not always that way.

“No, it isn’t,” Larry said after his 400^th donation. “But I’m going to tell you something. I had people behind me, and the greatest thing of all the Good Lord above. He made it possible. All I can do is thank Him for all the good days I’ve had. Even the bad times can make you strong. When you look back on it you can go either way, you can be bitter, or you can take advantage of it and use it to somehow to help other people.”

Larry was in good spirits for his 414^th donation Thursday. “I’m doing a double (platelet) today!” he said. “Two weeks ago, I did a double and it was no big deal.  Winter was good. A friend drives me here and I was able to make all my donations. I’ve got both (COVID-19 vaccine) shots and I’m ready for spring!”

Larry Lapuh also makes the giving look easy.

Larry is a retired U.S. Air Force Captain who has logged many miles as a marathon runner and a Donor for Life.  His calm demeanor and dry sense of humor were the same when he made his milestone 500^th donation in 2017, and when he received a sealed letter from the Ohio General Assembly honoring him for “Superb Dedication.”

His history with CBC began when he volunteered to be a bone marrow donor and got the call to donate marrow in 1994. He then began donating platelets and plasma and it became a passion equal to his passion for running. He has run 19 marathons, including the Air Force Marathon.

The two Larrys have marathon running in common. Larry Smith has run three, including the 1996 Boston Marathon. He made a career as an x-ray technician in a hospital dark room, played in a blind bowling league, and sang in his church choir.

Larry Lapuh began donating in his hometown of Granville, Illinois and continued during his career in the military which included 17 years at Wright-Patt.  He makes frequent visits to Granville to care for his 92-year-old mother.

“I would be coming here more, but I’m spending more time with my mother,” he said. He admits it would be hard to leave Dayton. “I’ve been here since ’85 and have been coming here (CBC) since ’94 after my bone marrow donation.”

It worries Larry that his long run as a CBC donor may end, but he stopped himself so he could direct his trademark dry sense of humor toward his apheresis nurse Lindsey Stueve. “Any chance you have a pepperoni pizza in your pocket for me?” he asked.