I’m genuinely grateful to be running again with the Run with Heart team in 2023 and a Heart Hero for Stroke Awareness month! My why is for my Mom who suffered from a hemorrhagic stroke in January of 2016 (#strokesurvivor). A wife, a grandmother, a sister, a woman who raised EIGHT healthy thriving children. At 56 years young my Mom’s life was forever altered as a result of this terrible disease which is the leading cause of disability in the United States - and I'll never forget it did. It’s been seven years since my Mom’s stroke and since then we have encountered the full gamut of issues that stroke survivors and their families encounter - persevering and grateful for each and every day that we can share with her. Encountering a stroke sucks. It's messy..it’s raw..it's cruel…there is no sugarcoating. Running with the American Heart/Stroke Association provides for a great opportunity to fight back and make a positive difference from fundraising to amplifying stroke awareness. This is my why. #FAST #BEFAST

-Josh