This November, I’m honored to be running the TCS New York City Marathon with Team Heart & Stroke in support of the American Heart Association.

In 2019, as a healthy, active, 31-year-old, I felt unexpected chest pain—something I assumed was just a pulled muscle. Soon after I noticed a poster at work describing the warning signs of a heart attack. It sounded like what I was experiencing and prompted me to act.

Listening to my body led me to doctors who discovered an aortic aneurysm which had weakened the aorta walls, nearing rupture. This was caused by a bicuspid aortic valve, a birth defect I didn’t even know I had until it nearly changed everything. And in many ways, it did. I quickly was scheduled for open-heart surgery. The coming days demanded every ounce of strength, faith, and courage I had.

Shortly after my event, heart disease hit my family again. My sister began having heart issues which resulted in a valve replacement. Heart disease is the number one killer and we never know when or who it will strike next. AHA advocates on behalf of us all to encourage awareness and promote healthy living.

Thanks to an incredible medical team and the kind of innovation the AHA supports, I got a second chance. A chance to heal, to grow, and now, to run. Running the NYC Marathon is my way of honoring this second chance. It’s a promise to myself that fear doesn’t get the final say…hope does. I run for my sister with hope that she too will heal and run again. Every mile I run is a reminder of what the heart can endure and what we can achieve when we take care of ourselves and each other.

I continue to be monitored by a cardiologist and will one day require a new valve. Your donation helps fund this very research. You’re supporting lifesaving science, early detection, and better outcomes.

Thank you for supporting this cause, for cheering me on, and helping me turn survival into purpose!