Air Commando donates bone marrow, saves life

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Andrea Posey
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
During a blood donation drive, technicians asked him if he wanted to sign up for the bone marrow registry. He agreed, and with a swipe to the inside of his cheek his DNA was entered into the system.

Just a few years later this hasty decision turned into a lifesaving procedure for a stranger living in the United Kingdom, England.

Close to six months ago, Staff Sgt. Jonathan Knutson, a crew chief with the 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, received a phone call that informed him he was a possible bone marrow match for a 14-year-old girl with Severe Aplastic Anemia, a disease in which the bone marrow does not make enough blood cells for the body.

When asked if he would be interested in donating, Knutson readily agreed.

“I decided to donate bone marrow because it's only a small sacrifice on my part to save someone else's life,” he said. “I would have been happy to donate no matter the age of the recipient, but knowing it's a young girl is special because I know I am giving her a chance at a long, healthy life.”

After having his blood drawn again and tested for compatibility, it was confirmed that Knutson was a perfect match.

For the procedure, Knutson had to receive permission to go on a permissive TDY to Washington, D.C. Master Sgt. John Nandin, an aircraft section chief with the 801st SOAMXS, said he and the rest of the chain of command were all supportive of Knutson’s plan and ensured his paper work went through the appropriate channels to get him there.

“Staff Sgt. Knutson is a very humble person, and he’s constantly supportive, professional and prepared to volunteer for any short-notice tasks,” Nandin said. “We were all on board with this decision and enthusiastic that he wanted to make that sacrifice to help someone else.”

On the morning of the extraction, the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program arranged for a taxi to take Knutson and his wife to the hospital where he was placed under general anesthesia for surgery. During the procedure, medical specialists used needles to withdraw liquid marrow from the back of his pelvic bone.

After waking up in recovery, Knutson spent the night at the hospital and was released the following morning.

“After the procedure the pain wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting,” he said. “I was able to walk and just had to it take easy for a few days.”

Although Knutson has not heard how the bone marrow transfusion went for the young recipient, he believes a few weeks of discomfort was worth potentially saving someone’s life.

“It feels really good to know that I am helping someone, and I would not hesitate to do it again,” he said.