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NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - The family of a doctor hospitalized due to COVID-19 said he was about to lose his life until a South Florida man, who had recovered from the virus, donated his plasma to help save his life.
Dr. Vladimir Laroche was taking care of sick patients when he contracted COVID-19 and ended up in a Palm Beach County hospital.
Paul Laroche, the doctor’s brother, lives in Miami and was nervous his brother was not going to make it. His doctor said a blood plasma infusion could help, but the blood needed to come from someone who recovered from COVID-19 and has antibodies.
“In his case, he just kept getting worse, and within four days after being in ICU, he needed to get intubated,” he said. “That is when he almost died at that point. She said, ‘Look, I am going to go ahead and make a request for the plasma from OneBlood, and we will move on with the plasma infusion.'”
However, plasma was not readily available, so Laroche posted an urgent request on social media desperately looking for a donor. The post was shared all over South Florida, and Laroche was connected to Basil Binns through a mutual friend.
“My question was, ‘How can I help?'” Binns said. “Not just because of the friend relationship that we had with our common friend, but the ability to help somebody who was in dire straits.”
Binns had recovered from COVID-19 and had the antibodies the doctor needed, so he visited a OneBlood location in Northwest Miami-Dade to donate his plasma.
“He did what angels do,” Laroche said. “He came through, and in due form, saved my brother’s life.”
Binns donated his blood on Friday. It had to be sent to Orlando to separate the plasma and made it to the doctor on Saturday.
“Once he got the infusion, it sort of stabilized him,” Laroche said. “Now, we are beginning to see some slow signs of improvement, some light at the end the tunnel, some hope.”
“It has been quite a rollercoaster,” Binns said. “To think that being infected with the virus actually ends up being a plus, and I have the ability to help someone else because I recovered, to help them recover.”
OneBlood is looking for plasma donors to help other COVID-19 patients.
Donors must have verification of a positive COVID-19 test, be symptom free for 14 days and have documentation of a negative test after recovering from the virus. Candidates can go to oneblood.org to schedule a donation.
As for Laroche and Binns, they are now teaming up to start a non-profit called Heal As One, and they are making it their mission to find donors to help other COVID-19 patients.
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