This cause is personal to me.

My mom is living with heart disease, and more than once it has come close to taking her from us. Some of those times, I wasn't even in the same state — and there's a particular kind of fear in getting that call from far away, not knowing if she'll still be here by the time you can reach her. She spent a month in a coma. And even after she fought her way back to us, the struggle wasn't over. Facing heart surgery after something like that is terrifying. The fear is real. The exhaustion is real. And the part no one warns you about is what comes after: trying to get back to the life you had before, only to realize it will never look quite the same.

Recovering from a heart attack isn't like flipping a switch. It's slow. It's scary. It's a version of "normal" you have to learn all over again. And through all of it, one thing has made an unmistakable difference — support. Knowing you're not alone. Having a community that understands the struggle and refuses to let you face it by yourself.

I'm one of the lucky ones — my mom is still here, and I don't take a single day of that for granted. That's why I'm walking for the American Heart Association. The AHA funds the research, the education, and the resources that give families like mine more time, more answers, and more hope. They show up for the people in the middle of the fight — and for the ones, like me, standing beside them.

If my mom's story means anything to you — if you've ever loved someone whose heart had to fight to keep going — I would be so grateful for your support. Every donation brings us closer to a world where fewer families have to hold their breath in a hospital waiting room. Thank you for standing with me, and with her.