Heart disease isn’t something distant to me. It’s something that has shaped my life and my family in very real ways. I come from a family with a long history of heart issues, and I’ve seen firsthand how deeply it can affect the people you love.

One of the hardest moments for me was when my grandmother, someone I’ve always been incredibly close to, nearly lost her life to a heart attack. Seeing her go through that was terrifying, and it made me realize just how fragile life can be. Not long after, my father also experienced a heart attack, which only deepened that understanding.

Those experiences changed the way I see the world. It made me realize how fast things can change, and how important it is to not take the people you love for granted.

I walk for my family, for the moments we almost lost, and for the hope that one day fewer families will have to go through the same fear. Every step is for awareness, for prevention, and for the people we love.