Dustin Behlmann loves babies. A few years ago, he dressed up as Santa Claus so babies could be photographed with him.
That affection spills over to giving blood.
In the past 10 years, Behlmann has donated 3 gallons of blood. His O positive blood type is CMV negative, which means he can give blood to newborns. Newborns cannot receive blood that is CMV positive, but Behlmann is one of the rare adults whose blood is CMV negative.
Dustin, 34, who is developmentally disabled, lives in Kearney with his parents, Jennifer and Gary Behlmann, owners of Kearney Towing & Repair Center.
“By the time most people are old enough to give blood at age 18, they have a CMV antibody,” Jennifer said.
CMV is a virus that occurs naturally in the human body. Most people have had that silent virus by the time they reach 18, after which the body produces an antibody against it. Behlmann is one of the few individuals who never had that virus.
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