I had a normal pregnancy and was anticipating a normal, healthy baby in mid-May.  However, my world turned upside down the very early hours of May 15, 1994.  Brooke came into the world, the doctor announced "IT'S A GIRL!"  Immediately, he then took her to the other side of the room to begin working on her with life saving measures - Brooke did not cry for several minutes after birth.  Once I heard her weak cry, I finally took a breath, not realizing I was holding my own breath.  A flurry of activity continued to surround her until the flight crew came to transport her to a neonatology department at another facility two hours from home. 

 

Later that day, I found out that Brooke was born with a congenital heart defect in 1994, called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. She would require a series of three open-heart surgeries by the time she was 1 1/2 years old.  Brooke received her first surgery the following morning at just 24 hours old.  She had the other surgeries that were required.  However, by the time she was 5, she began having more complications and evaluations showed she would require a heart transplant. Her first heart transplant was in 2000 and she then needed a 2nd heart transplant in 2009.

 

Each year, Brooke looked forward to participating in the Heart Walk and was not shy about asking for support for her participation. She knew the funds raised could help not only her, but other children and adults like her. She loved to help others! Even when Brooke wasn't feeling her best, she always walked the full 5k, never opting for the 1 mile route!  She always said people donated understanding she was going to walk a 5k and she didn't want to let them down.

 

Brooke lost her battle with heart disease in 2019 and I lost my sidekick.  However, I will continue to walk each year in her memory!

 

Won't you please support me in memory of Brooke?