We are all tied to heart disease and stroke in some way. We have to change that. What's my why?
This year I walk, for the first time, in honor of my father, Paul Blanchard, who passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully, on March 31, 2024. My father lived with heart disease for nearly 24 years, suffering a major heart attack at only 51 years of age. We are so lucky we had an extra 24 years with him, though his time spent on this Earth was not long enough and he was taken too soon.
He was an incredible man and father. He was warm, giving, and gentle, often described as a "big teddy bear." He would do anything for anyone at any time. He loved dogs, any kind of yard work (mowing the grass especially on a tractor), fixing things, being active in the church and, most of all, his family.
I walk because I know that with every step, I am saving lives.
Your donation will fund groundbreaking research that literally keeps hearts beating and helps people have longer, healthier lives.
This year, as we celebrate the Centennial of the American Heart Association, we will move health and well-being forward in important and critical ways. This relentless pursuit will continue until heart disease and stroke no longer exist.
Help me reach my goal today in honor of the greatest man I have ever know. I was lucky enough to call him my dad.