When he was in his 40s my Papa, Charles Horton, had his first of several heart attacks. I was just a baby but there is a photo of me sitting in his lap at their kitchen table after his first open heart surgery. He would go on to have another open heart surgery and other heart related procedures in my lifetime. He left us for Heaven in 2004 and a major impression on me now that I'm in my 40s. My heart health is now something that weighs heavily on my mind. The more people I meet the more I find they all have a heart-related story; a family member born with a heart defect, a parent with a history of coronary artery disease, a child who has had surgery to repair a patenet ductus arteriosis, or they themselves have both high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
My horse, Jozie, and I are riding the AHA's 20 mile beach ride again in November of this year. I'm hoping to raise $500 for the ride. Owning my own horse is a childhood dream come true that my Papa helped to nurture in me whenever he could. Riding my horse is one of the ways that I try to stay healthy and keep my heart healthy. Will you consider donating to this event to raise money for the American Heart Association?
