The Northern New England Blog

By Dan Dowling – regional communications manager “Someone’s blood and someone’s platelet donation allowed me to get out of the hospital much quicker. I bet I would have been there longer if it wasn’t for those donations.” When U-32 High School student Lei DeGroot looks back on the past year, he sees more than hospital rooms and chemotherapy treatments. He sees a community that rallied around him, a football team that treated him like family, and countless strangers whose generosity gave him the strength to keep going. Lei was excited to start the school year as the equipment manager for the U-32 football team. For Lei, being part of the team was about more than football. It was about belonging. It was a great fit and he became known for his intense attention to detail and dedication. “It was perfect, being part of a team without having to play. It really aligned with his organizational skills,” his mom, Allison Mindel, said. But in February of 2024, Lei’s life on the sideline...