This year, I am participating in the American Heart Association Heart Walk in honor of my father.

I was barely 13 years old when he suffered his first heart attack. My siblings, all eight and I had just left for school when we learned that he had been rushed to the hospital. What followed were many years of heart failure, numerous open-heart surgeries, and countless challenges for our family, especially my Mother.

Looking back, he was fortunate to be living in Houston at a time when two of the world's most renowned heart surgeons, Dr. Denton Cooley and Dr. Michael DeBakey, practiced in the same city. Their pioneering work in cardiovascular medicine offered hope during some of our family's most difficult moments.

Thanks to advances in cardiovascular medicine and the exceptional care he received, my father was given precious extra years with the people he loved. Those years allowed him to watch his children grow up, get married, and build families of their own. He was able to experience the joy of holding his grandchildren in his lap and creating memories that our family will cherish forever.

My walk is a tribute not only to my father, but also to the physicians, researchers, nurses, and caregivers whose dedication helps give families more time together.

We miss you every day, Daddy, and we love you always. This walk is for you.