When I was in 5th grade, my dad went into AFib and then cardiac arrest. He survived, but heart disease took so much from him and from our family. Life was never the same after that day, and as a kid I learned way too early how fragile a heart can be.
About seven years later, my grandma was diagnosed with AFib too. After everything we had already lived through with my dad, hearing those words again was terrifying. It brought back memories I never wanted to relive and reminded me how many families carry this same fear.
When I came to college, I met Sydney, who is now one of my best friends. She also lives with heart disease, and for the first time I had someone my age who truly understood the worries I carry. We’ve been able to be honest about the anxiety, the unknowns, and the hope that things can get better.
I’m walking for my dad, my grandma, Sydney, and every family whose life has been changed by heart disease. This is my way of giving back to a community that has lost so much, and helping fund research so fewer kids have to grow up with the same fears I did.