Fla. blood donor earns world record

FORT MYERS, Fla. — When John Sheppard gave his 315th pint of blood last month, it was enough to earn him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Sheppard learned Thursday that he officially holds the world record title for most whole blood donated. He toppled the previous record of 231 pints set in 2009 by Phillip Baird of Australia.

"We are pleased to welcome you to the very select club of Guinness World Records title holders," Vin Sharma with the Guinness World Records said in an email.

Sheppard, 78, a retired attorney, began donating blood 60 years ago and has given almost 40 gallons.

He donated blood for the first time in 1951 because of Gene Prevatt, a Fort Myers High School friend who had been severely wounded during the Korean War.

That's when 18-year-old Sheppard committed to giving blood every two months in honor of Prevatt.

Sheppard, who has a relatively average A-positive blood type, had donated enough blood in the past six decades to help almost 1,000 people.

Sheppard will get his official Guinness World Record mailed to him in the next few weeks.

"I'm pleased I was accepted," he said. "I hope the record will inspire others to donate blood."