When I was 10 years old, I lost my dad to a heart attack. It was an event that changed my life and my family forever. At that age, I could not fully understand heart disease or why something like that could happen so suddenly. I only understood that my dad was gone.
That is why the American Heart Association's Heart Walk is personal to me.
I walk in memory of my dad and in support of every family who has been affected by heart disease and stroke. I also walk because I believe we can help create a future where fewer children have to experience the loss that I did.
The American Heart Association works to improve cardiovascular health through research, education, prevention, advocacy, and lifesaving advances in care. Supporting that mission means helping people recognize their risks earlier, improving the treatment of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and funding research that can give families more time with the people they love.
Today, I have a family of my own, which gives this cause an even deeper meaning. I want to take care of my own heart, set an example for the next generation, and help make sure others have opportunities my dad never had.
When I participate in the Heart Walk, I am not simply walking a route or raising money.
I am walking for my dad. I am walking for the families who have lost someone too soon. And I am walking toward a future with fewer stories like mine.