The Larson's want to take a vacation to celebrate David my husband and Bridget and Drew father, his 3year anniversary of his heart attack.

3 years ago this thanksgiving we were running in a 10k race for the poor in Cincinnatti Ohio. We have family in Cincinnati so we had a tradition run the race and then enjoy family. Thanksgiving 2010 was a little different we all start the race at the same time but we all run at different levels so we eventually meet up at the end of the race at the same place every year.

David and I ran for the first 2 miles together and then David said Mary go ahead my wind is not as good as yours today go ahead I'll meet you at the finish line. Never did I think there could of been anything wrong with him, he trim and fit 54 year old man. His last doctor visit he was told he had a runners heart. I said ok see you then.

Bridget and I found each other about 20 minutes go by I said this is odd your Dad should be done by now. 15 more minutes go by no David. We decided to go look for him saw a ambulance, I ran up to the man in the ambulance and said I am missing my husband did anyone fall along the race. He said no but there was a man who had a heart attack on the 5.4 mile marker they took him to Christ hospital. I said what was his name he said what your husband name I said David he said yes his name was David. Oh my this could not be true not my David! It was David and he did have a heart attack he survived because by the grace of a God there was a medical student who saw him drop and initiated CPR on him within minutes. He also had a nurse who was behind him. A young boy ran to find the paramedics who got to him and shocked his heart back to life. David's heart did stop, he had open heart surgery 2 days later.

David's fight has been an incredible journey, he never gave up he never felt sorry for himself. 3 years post open heart is a milestone! David and I skied years ago and he said if I he keeps getting good reports he would love to go out west and ski again. His echocardiogram shows his ejection fraction has improved he will always have to on certain medicines to help the damaged part of his heart not have to work as hard. To be able to go out and ski with family would be an awesome 3 year marker of recovery of where he was and how far he has come.

Thanks for listening.
Mary Larson