2027 Crossroads Heart & Stroke Walk
Yaya's Legacy Beats On
❤️ Yaya's Heart, Our Fight! ❤️
In Loving Memory of My Beautiful Mom, Gloria "Yaya" Ortiz
August 31, 1963 – October 30, 2026
I want to share something very personal. Not because I want sympathy, but because I hope that by sharing my mom's story, I can bring awareness to heart disease, educate others, and possibly save someone's life.
On October 30, 2026, I lost my beautiful mom, Gloria "Yaya" Ortiz. She was only 63 years old.
My mom was a longtime diabetic who began seeing a cardiologist in her early 40s. She faithfully attended her yearly appointments, had stress tests, EKGs, and ultrasounds of her heart. We believed we were doing everything we were supposed to do.
For nearly six years, my mom suffered from dizziness, low blood pressure, and episodes of passing out. She made numerous trips to the emergency room, searching for answers.
Eventually, doctors discovered a blockage that was restricting blood flow to her brain. She underwent surgery, and although there were setbacks, she recovered. We were so thankful and believed the worst was behind us.
Little did we know, our lives were about to change forever.
In 2026, during her yearly cardiology follow-up, her doctor discovered another blockage, this time in her heart. She was scheduled for a cardiac catheterization in Sugar Land, Texas.
During that procedure, doctors discovered FIVE blockages in her heart. She was transferred to the Texas Medical Center in downtown Houston for open-heart surgery.
During surgery, the surgeons discovered extensive calcified plaque throughout her coronary arteries. We were shocked and devastated.
How could someone who had been under a cardiologist's care for over 20 years have such severe heart disease?
How could we not have known?
I began asking questions because I needed answers. I had always believed that high cholesterol or high triglycerides would be the warning signs of plaque buildup. But I learned that heart disease isn't always that simple.
I learned about a test called a coronary artery calcium score, which can detect calcified plaque in the arteries of the heart and help assess cardiovascular risk in certain patients.
I wish I had known more. I wish I had known what questions to ask. I wish we could turn back time.
❤️ Why I'm Sharing My Mom's Story
My mom had so much more life to live.
She should have been here to meet and hold her first great-grandchild. She should have had more birthdays, holidays, family gatherings, laughter, and memories.
She deserved so many more tomorrows.
And what hurts is knowing that we will never get those moments back.
I keep thinking about the questions I wish I had asked sooner. Could something have been discovered earlier? Could we have had more time?
I may never have all those answers.
But what I do know is that I want others to become more educated about heart disease.
Please, if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a family history of heart disease, take your cardiovascular health seriously.
Ask your doctor about your risk factors. Ask whether additional testing is appropriate for you. Learn about coronary artery calcium scoring and when it may be useful. It isn't recommended for everyone, and it doesn't detect every type of plaque or blockage.
And most importantly, if you are experiencing persistent symptoms, don't ignore them. Continue advocating for your health and seeking answers.
Having normal cholesterol numbers or attending regular appointments does not guarantee that you are free from heart disease.
Knowledge, prevention, and early detection matter.
If sharing my mom's story encourages even ONE person to ask questions, schedule an appointment, or take their heart health more seriously, then I know something meaningful can come from our heartbreak.
Forever 63. Forever loved. Forever our Yaya. ❤️🕊️
