WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (WPTV) — Thousands of people dressed in red filled downtown West Palm Beach for this year’s American Heart Association Heart Walk, taking steps to support a cause that touches many families across the community.
About 3,000 people took part in the event, which brings together survivors, families and supporters to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke.
WATCH: 3,000 walkers fill downtown West Palm Beach for Heart Walk
WPTV is a proud sponsor of the Heart Walk, and WPTV’s Ashley Glass served as emcee for this year’s event.
For some of the families walking, the mission is deeply personal.
WPTV’s Christy Waite has been connecting with the family of a young girl named Blake, whose health journey has included heart failure and multiple open-heart surgeries.
Before Blake was born, her parents learned she had a heart condition that would lead to multiple heart surgeries. When Blake was just 14 months old, she became very sick.
"She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and that put her heart into heart failure, so she had to have open-heart surgery as soon as possible," her mom, Devin Aubrey, said.
Unfortunately, the surgery didn't work, and a few months later Blake had her second open-heart surgery. Doctors put in a mechanical valve to help her heart open and close.
As Blake continues to grow, so does her heart, but not the valve. When she is a little older, she will need to have another surgery to fix it.
Blake's family formed Team Blake to give back and raise money through the Heart Walk.
This year, Team Blake raised $10,000, surpassing the amount the team raised last year.
Team Blake wasn’t the only one celebrating a fundraising milestone.
This year’s Heart Walk raised more than $1.4 million, setting a new fundraising record.
For the walkers who filled downtown West Palm Beach, each step represented a different story, from survivors celebrating how far they’ve come to families walking in support of someone they love.
