BURNSVILLE, Minn. — It was a moment Heidi Hoehn-Low and her family from Burnsville will never forget.
After the Bills game on Oct. 20, the Hoehn-Low family and several others met with safety Damar Hamlin. This special moment with the professional athlete came about for reasons they wish had never happened.
“We are all tied to these experiences that we have shared,” Hoehn-Low said.
The people in this select group, including Heidi and Hamlin, are all survivors of cardiac events and are part of a group called Abbott HeartMates, a program that creates a support system for people with heart disease.
“It was incredible to meet him,” Hoehn-Low said. “He was so gracious with his time. He signed autographs for my son and all his friends.”
Hamlin is part of this community after him cardiac arrest on the field in January 2023that millions of people have seen on TV.
Meanwhile, Hoehn-Low’s incident happened two years earlier, on December 23, 2020. She suffered a stroke and being in the middle of the pandemic, she was more isolated than ever.
“So now that I’m on the other side, I really want to try to be the light for others who are going through a very, very dark time in their lives,” Hoehn-Low said.
Being that advocate for others is exactly what she does now, alongside Hamlin. They both spread awareness that no one is immune from serious health problems.
“I watch what I eat, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink,” Hoehn-Low said. “You can be a professional athlete, you can be at the top of your game, you can be young and physically fit and you can still have a stroke or a heart attack.”
Part of Hoehn-Low’s advocacy work is making sure people know the signs of a stroke. The acronym “BE FAST” is the best way to remember.
B – Loss of balance
E – Eyes, vision loss
F – Face droops
A – Arms, can approximately hold both arms up or are weak on one side
S – Slurred speech
T – Time…which is crucial.
If you answer yes to any of these signals, call 911.
Learn more about Abbott’s HeartMates here.
Marielle Mohs
