Born out of grief from sudden death in my life, my why has transformed recently into gratefulness, and now even urgency.   Many of you may remember in late 2018, I lost my fiancé to a sudden widow maker heart attack- he was only 44 years old.  Fast forward, to 2022- I met a wonderful man and 2 years later we married in March 2024.   In May 2024, he learned, that at 47 years old, he had an aortic aneurysm and underwent open heart surgery to repair this.  We later learned that his aorta was partially dissected and it was but for the grace of God that he didn’t succumb to this fate.  Now in 2026, my sister, my only sibling, is suffering from congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy (both hopefully reversable) because of a defective valve and recently diagnosed congenital hole in her heart. 

It is stories like this that reinforce the need for research and education- this is not just our grandparents’ or parents’ diseases.

I Walk to Save Lives. Help me reach my goal today by joining our team or donating towards our goal. Together, we can turn bystanders into lifesavers.