Follow My Heart...Part 2. Twenty Year Cancer Anniversary

When I finished cycling 3,168 miles across the United States in 2012, I felt confident that my body and the direction of my life were in a good place. I had just celebrated six years cancer-free and was excited about what life after my ride would look like. But, as life often teaches us, things aren’t always as they seem.

Fast forward to 2017. Just a few days after getting a promotion at my new job, I was making dinner in my apartment when I felt an incredibly sharp pain in my chest, left arm, and the left side of my jaw. After being rushed to the ER and undergoing several tests, the nurses confirmed that I was having a heart attack. That’s when we discovered a golf-ball-sized clot in the left ventricle of my heart.

The clot’s location in the left ventricle meant I was at extreme risk of a stroke. Even the smallest piece of the clot breaking off would head straight for my brain. My life shifted once again. I found myself on medication, kept in the ICU for several days, and unable to move without supervision.

As fate would have it, the medication didn’t work. The next step was receiving an LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) through open-heart surgery. This device, essentially a pump to assist my heart’s function, was connected to a power cord that protruded from my stomach. I was either plugged into a wall or connected to batteries 24 hours a day. This setup was meant to be a bridge to a heart transplant.

Skipping ahead to January 2018, I had an odd sensation in my chest, no pain, just something that felt...off. Since I was already headed to the hospital for my weekly blood draw, I decided to stop by and talk with my LVAD team. We discovered I had elevated LDH levels, indicating a clot somewhere in my body. I wasn’t allowed to go home until those levels returned to normal.

An angiogram revealed that my LVAD was malfunctioning, and I had two choices:

1. Get a new LVAD (which would mean another open-heart surgery).

2. Be listed for a heart transplant (also another open-heart surgery).

I chose the heart transplant.

After spending 26 days at UCSD Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center and reaching the last day of my eligibility to be on the highest priority status for the transplant list, just four days after celebrating my 33rd birthday in the hospital they found my match.

On February 25, 2018, I underwent a 12-hour open heart surgery to replace my heart. My new heart came from Lt. James Mazzuchelli, a 32-year-old Navy flight surgeon.

That moment confirmed my desire to ride from San Diego, California, to Jacksonville, Florida, to meet James’ family and pay my respects at the Jacksonville National Cemetery where he is laid to rest.

But this ride is more than just a personal journey. Beyond honoring James and his family, I want this ride to represent hope for anyone facing heart issues, cancer, or any kind of adversity. I want to inspire those who follow my journey or even just hear my story. My message is simple: never give up, no matter how many times life knocks you down. Push harder, keep dreaming, and stay positive even when things seem impossible.

Six years later...

This year marks the 20th anniversary of my cancer diagnosis. In April 2025 I will ride from James’ burial site in Jacksonville and follow the East Coast Greenway up to New Hyde Park, just outside New York City, where I’ll reconnect with the doctor who saved my life 20 years ago. Help me cover expenses as I raise money for FLNT, supporting cancer and heart patients with active GoFundMe campaigns.

Expenses will be covering 30 days of for 3 c: Fuel, Travel, Food, Lodging, Crew, Misc.

Fuel/travel: $10,000 (CA-FL. FL-NY. NY-CA)

Food for crew(3): 3 meals per day $30/day

Lodging/RV Parks $100/day

Crew of 3: $14,000