I walk in memory of my dad, Sam Mejia. I lost my dad suddenly and tragically when he was only 54 years old. This year will be the 10th anniversary of when we lost him. He died from heart disease while he was away on business and we didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. He was the best dad in the whole world and made life so much more fun. He loved adventures, never knew a stranger, he was a story teller and the life of every party. He lived his life to the absolute fullest each day, and it breaks our hearts that he is not with us. He never got to meet any of his grandchildren, they know of him through the stories we share and this Heart Walk is a huge part of how we continue to keep his memory alive. Each year since we lost my dad, my whole family has walked together to honor him and all those impacted by heart disease. We raise money in the hopes that life saving information and research from the American Heart Association can prevent others from experiencing the loss that we have.
9 out of 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital die. In most of those cases, bystander CPR was not performed. But we can change this.
Cardiac arrests happen at work, in homes, on athletic fields and in neighborhoods everywhere, and the readiness of our community can be the difference between life and death.
It's time to unite, take action, and save lives. Every dollar donated, means more people trained in lifesaving CPR, more research and more lifesaving moments for everyone. Together, we can turn bystanders into lifesavers.
I Walk to Save Lives. Help me reach my goal today.