Nearly half a century into his donation journey, an American has made hundreds of contributions, inspired initially by his own brother.
69-year-old Dan Ryan from the USA has set a new record, donating over 113 liters of whole blood. This is equivalent to approximately 344 cans of Coca-Cola.
This achievement is reported by the Guinness World Records.
Through his decades of dedicated donation, the man has officially become the record holder for the largest volume of whole blood donated by a male. The record was verified on June 24, 2025, in Malta, New York.
For comparison, an adult’s body typically contains between 4.5 and 5.6 liters of blood.
Dan’s first donation was back in 1980. He was inspired to take this step by his late brother, who had been a regular donor for quite some time.
In an interview with Guinness World Records representatives, Dan shared:
“My brother, who was a regular donor, and I worked in the same building, and when they held a blood drive there, he asked me to try and explained how it helps others and that someday I might find myself among those in need. It took him a few weeks, but eventually, I agreed and said ‘yes’.”
Dan Ryan in his youth / © Guinness World Records
Up until that point, the man hadn’t even considered donating, as he had a fear of needles since childhood.
“I’ll add that besides the explanations, he also called me a ‘coward’ and challenged me,” he joked. “I suppose if it helps, why not?”
Recalling his first donation, Dan confessed:
“The Red Cross staff were wonderful; they do everything they can to allay any fears. I remember my heart pounding as they prepared to insert the needle into my arm. But, as in many other situations, the fear of the unknown turned out to be much worse than the donation itself.”
Following this, Dan began donating blood regularly and continued without interruption for decades. In the past 46 years, he only had to take a three-year break once due to a course of anti-malarial medication.
The American Red Cross, the world’s largest blood bank, recognizes its regular donors with special pins, presenting them as they reach new milestones.
As of May 2026, Dan had already received 32 such awards.
“For a long time, I just kept them in a drawer,” he explained. “However, about 15 years ago, I started woodworking as a hobby, so I made a frame for them. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to donate, but since I plan to do so as long as I can, I made the frame large enough to hold 40 pins.”
Frame with donor awards / © Guinness World Records
If the man continues to donate blood regularly, he could reach the 151-liter mark shortly before his 80th birthday.
Speaking about what motivates him to continue donating, Dan noted:
“I want to believe that my donations are helping others in need. I knew several people who underwent operations, including my father, who had open-heart surgery. I also believe that my donations and this award belong not just to me, but also to my brother, as none of this would have happened without him,” he added.
Dan described receiving the Guinness World Records title as “incredible.”
“I didn’t even know there was a record for the number of whole blood donations until I stumbled upon the information by chance while looking for something else.”
Dan Ryan / © Guinness World Records
After realizing he had already surpassed the then-current record, the man decided to submit an official application.
The previous record – 241 donations – belonged to Indian national Paritosh Bagai, who set it on February 20, 2024.
“Upon learning that I had set this record, I can proudly say that my 20-year-old granddaughter now wants to become a donor,” Dan shared. “Who knows? Perhaps one day she will set the record for female donors.”
Recall that an unusual cat with 28 toes on its paws was also recognized by Guinness World Records.
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