The 2019 Washtenaw County Heart and Stroke Walk at EMU, Rynearson Stadium to honor: Gabe McMordie and his Family

A teen’s heart trouble, the long road back and how you can help Michigan families
It all started with a car accident on a normal Friday evening, a night when Gabe McMordie, the charismatic, athletic high school senior lost control, flipping his vehicle four times.
He survived the crash, but his medical troubles were only just beginning. Four weeks after the accident, Gabe became pale and clammy, with shoulder pain he assumed he sustained during a workout.
Unbeknownst to Gabe and his family, the impact his body sustained from the accident caused a catastrophic tear in his coronary artery and the resulting scar tissue was blocking blood flow to his heart. The otherwise healthy 17-year-old had suffered his first heart attack.
“I wondered, why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this?” Gabe recalled.
A car crash caused massive trauma to Gabe McMordie’s heart at the age of 17. Three years later, as he awaits a transplant, Gabe and his family will be honored at the 2019 Washtenaw County Heart and Stroke Walk on May 11 at Eastern Michigan University.
The American Heart Association is on a mission to increase awareness of these heart incidents. The Washtenaw County Heart and Stroke Walk helps raise the necessary funds to continue life-saving research and education, to save more lives like Gabe’s, right here in Michigan. The McMordie family will be honored at the event.
“It hasn’t been easy,” said Gabe, now 20. “I share my story to encourage others going through what I went through, and what I’m still going through. After the second and third heart attacks, I learned to be grateful to be alive – to live my life fully and approach every situation with a positive attitude.”
For the last 15 months, Gabe has been on the heart transplant list. He hasn’t been hospitalized in over a year. He’s focused on making every day count and spreading the word about heart attack and stroke.
“We were so amazed by his strength, and his willingness to help other new LVAD patients as he adjusts to his new life,” said Lindsey.

The 2019 Washtenaw County Heart and Stroke Walk on May 11 at Eastern Michigan University. The walk is free, and participants are encouraged to register. The Heart and Stroke Walk help raise the necessary funds to continue life-saving research and education, to save more lives right here in Michigan. The walk features a kids’ zone, fitness activities, family-friendly entertainment and heart and stroke survivor stories. For more information on this year’s Heart Walk, visit www.WashtenawHeartWalk.org

When
May 11, 2019
Check-In 8:30am
Starts 10:30am
Length of Walk 1 or 3 mile route

Where
EMU Rynearson Stadium
799 North Hewitt Rd
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Get Directions
http://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=4019&pg=entry