In May of 2024, I suffered a heart attack in my mid-lateral artery. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would suffer a heart attack and certainly not at such a young age. I was only 37 years old. I ended up having a cardiac catheteterization where a stent was placed in my artery which ultimately saved my life that day. It felt like my world had turned upside down. I went from minimal medications to taking 10 medications, most to deal with the aftermath of my heart attack. I wasn't allowed to exercise except under the supervision of my provider. The helplessness I felt really made my mental health tank and it caused me to seek help from a therapist as well as enroll into a cardiac rehabilitation program. Both have been invaluable in getting me back to this new normal.
Since then, I have been working hard on myself. I changed many of my habits, repaired my relationship with food & excercise and really focused on my mental health. And I did this all while caring for my family including my four children. Since my heart attack, I've lost 70 pounds and I'm still going.
At my 1 year heart attack anniversary, I ran my first 5k on Mother's day. I've continued running and have since run three 5k races and one 10k race this past September. It's hard to believe that I went from recovering from a heart attack to being healthy enough to run in races! I couldn't have done it without the support of my family, friends, healthcare providers and programs offered by the AHA.
I'd love to help pay it forward. One person dies of heart disease every 33 seconds. For every 5 people, 1 person will have a cardiovascular event. That statistic is beyond scary and we can do better. Money given here will help other people like myself and will go towards research and outreach programs like CPR trainings and general education to the public. No amount is too small and I will appreciate any and all donation amounts.
To those that would be interested, please consider joining me for the walk on October 26th, 2025. Any and all are welcome to walk with us.
