Andrews, a regular blood donor, was recently recognized by the Red Cross for reaching the remarkable 10-gallon milestone. According to the Red Cross, his donations of whole blood, double red cells and platelets have helped as many as 243 people. 

Andrews was inspired to donate blood in 2000 during his father’s fight against Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He recalls seeing a bag of donated blood that hung from his dad’s IV listing the donor’s age, gender race and ID number. Those details allowed him to develop a connection to a person he’d never met. 

“This man who did not know my father or his family had given us a gift we could never payback or thank him for,” Andrews said. “That is when I realized what a huge effect a donation can have on a family in need.”

Andrews began donating blood while living in Charlotte, North Carolina, and he continued when he moved to Nashville in 2004. Though he’s had to take three one-year breaks from donating due to international travel, he’s kept returning to the Red Cross.

“Today is a crisis in someone’s life and you can make a difference.”

Andrews has owned the Nashville-based window tinting company, Solar Insulation, since 2016. Solar Insulation is an authorized dealer of 3M Window Film. Founded in 1975, it’s the third oldest window film dealer in the country and the oldest in Tennessee. To learn more, visit solarinsulation.com.