When the call went out over social media that Army Sgt. Derrick Bishop, of the 82nd Airborne Division, needed a bone marrow transplant, thousands responded in person and online.
On Monday, more than 1,000 soldiers and veterans showed up at Fort Bragg, North Carolina for a bone marrow donor screening, and more than 1,000 others submitted requests online for test kits, said Chad Ballance, the senior recruiter for the Defense Department’s marrow donor program, Salute to Life.
Pictures shared on social media on Monday showed the outpouring of support from soldiers at Fort Bragg.
“The strength of America’s Army rests on its soldiers and our shared values,” Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll said in a statement to Task & Purpose on Tuesday. “It’s heartening to see the Fort Bragg community rallying behind Sgt. Bishop in his time of need and I encourage our soldiers and leaders to continue drawing strength from one another, regardless of the circumstance.”
