The upcoming 2023 Beach Ride to raise financial support for the American Heart Association marks my eighth time to participate in this enjoyable and important event. This year I am riding in memory of my late wife Missy, who died suddenly and unexpectantly, in our home, from a heart attack, two weeks to the day after my son and I got back home from the 2022 Beach Ride. The ensuing autopsy revealed that Missy’s death was due to effects of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, a condition which Missy had been unaware of. She had not experienced any indications of having heart disease.

Needless to say, her sudden death changed my life and our sons lives that very minute. However, as we still experience the awful shock and grief, I am confident that Missy’s death did not surprise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for He knew the exact time she was coming home to live in Heaven with Him.

In the last four Beach Rides, I rode in honor of Marylise and focused on how the research done by AHA has benefited newborns and how innovative technology has saved lives. My wife’s recent death from unexpected heart disease has changed my focus. Missy never participated in nor attended the Beach Ride, but she helped me and our son with her careful and detailed preparations for the event each year.

In her memory, I would like for you to think about two matters that require preparation in your own life. First, are you regularly going to the doctor to get physical checkups? If you are not, is something sneaking up on you? Modern technology cannot help you if you don’t regularly have your health evaluated. Please consider how your possible premature death will affect your family and friends. If you go to a physician and he or she finds an issue and then helps you, you and your family get to spend more time together.

The second thing to recognize is that we all are terminal. We all have decisions to make in life, and we all must decide whether we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior or not. I am so thankful that Missy had accepted Jesus Christ as her savior. Missy went fast; she did not know that her time was up here on earth when she took her last breath. But I am confident that when she took her last breath at my side, then she was in Jesus Christ’s arms in Heaven.

If you plan to do just one of two things I have addressed, I urge you to do the second one. It is for eternity.

I have accepted Jesus as my savior and so did Missy, so as hard as life is now, I know that I will see her again in Heaven when the day comes that Jesus calls me home.

So do yourself a favor and get your Heart Right if you haven’t already!