Fitness instructor and heart attack survivor Angie Mayo. (Photo courtesy of Josie Porter Photography) A few months before her 50th birthday, Angie Mayo and her husband, Carl, headed to Key West, Florida, for an early celebration. She could use the break from the 12-hour shifts at her factory production job and all the time she…
Personal trainer and weightlifter Alfonso Moretti was faced with open-heart surgery to fix his aortic valve. (Photo courtesy of Alfonso Moretti) Alfonso Moretti was about to have surgery for a torn tendon in his calf muscle. At 45, and having been a personal trainer since his late teens, surgeries to repair injuries were nothing new….
Chrissy Gaffney is passionate about advocating for women’s heart health after decades of heart problems that began in childhood. (Photo courtesy of Chrissy Gaffney) As a young girl, Chrissy Gaffney endured occasional fevers and body aches that made her struggle to walk. Although the family doctor diagnosed her with arthritis, her parents weren’t convinced. Then,…
From left: Siblings Jaxon, Isabel and Jason Siqueiros all had heart transplants before they turned 3. (Photo courtesy of the Siqueiros family) Lea en español Nine weeks after giving birth to twin sons, life was a blur of diaper changes, feedings, laundry and sleepless nights for Sara and Jason Siqueiros. In the midst of the…
Two-time stroke survivor and heart transplant recipient Olivia Rose. (Photo courtesy of Olivia Rose) When she’s not baking cookies for her dessert business, Olivia Rose can often be found pumping iron at the gym. For years, she participated in amateur bodybuilding competitions and even hoped to go pro. At 25, she had the chance to…
Two-time stroke survivor Bill Ramsey. (Photo courtesy of Kacy Meineke) Bill and Marilyn Ramsey were excited about going to Galveston, Texas, to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Their friend, a pilot, flew the couple, along with his wife, in a four-seater plane from their hometown of Wichita, Kansas. It was a tight fit, especially for four…
Jamie Stevens had to relearn how to walk after untreated high blood pressure caused her to have a stroke. (Photo courtesy of Jamie Stevens) Jamie Stevens went back home to Garnett, Kansas, for her grandmother’s funeral and to spend time with her family. After watching her niece’s soccer game, Stevens felt a stronger headache than…
Heart transplant survivor Jen Lentini celebrated her 40th birthday at Disney World. (Photo courtesy of Jen Lentini) Jen Lentini was a 13-year-old competitive baton twirler and lacrosse player in the Long Island town of Hicksville, New York, when the problems began. The pain started in her stomach. It was so severe that she’d often sit…
Heart disease survivor Jana Turner. (Photo courtesy of Mike Luna Studios) Jana Turner had always enjoyed a sense of control over her life. She never married or had children. Her career in commercial real estate remained her top priority, culminating in a rise to becoming a partner in her company. She also took control of…
Cardiac arrest survivor Justin Stroh. (Photo courtesy of Justin Stroh) In the early months of 2021, heavy snow blanketed the city of Philadelphia. Justin Stroh and his wife, Bess, both in their 60s, had been taking turns shoveling the snow in front of their suburban home. On a Monday in February, the snow was falling…