Survivors celebrate life at Central Virginia Heart Walk: 'This is like my Super Bowl'

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A sea of red filled Innsbrook in Glen Allen on a mid-October Saturday for the American Heart Association's annual Central Virginia Heart Walk — an event that, despite its name, is never just about the walking.

For many, it was a celebration of survival.

"This is your neighbor, this is your mother, this is your son or daughter, and those individuals really make that tangible for our community," Central Virginia Heart Walk Chair Devin Tobin said. "Those are living examples of the American Heart Association's mission."

One of those living examples is Wayne Hall, a heart failure survivor who did more than wear his heart on his sleeve Saturday. Hall was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart condition, and survived a close call with heart failure two years ago.

"I work at Bon Secours, and they call me the heart of Saint Mary's. I wear this heart for them and for everyone else who is out here because the heart is the most important thing to me," Hall said.

After his recovery, Hall said the Heart Walk was the first thing he wanted to do.

"I got my body right. I lost weight, and the first thing after I recovered, I said I wanted to do was the Heart Walk. This is my second year, and I'm going to do all three miles," Hall said.

For Hall, crossing the finish line carries deep meaning.

"This is like my Super Bowl. This means everything to me, and I can't wait to do it. Going across the finish line is going to be the greatest thing for me," Hall said.

The event is also about advocating for younger patients. Olivia Pacheco, 19, was born with two congenital heart defects and had four open-heart surgeries before high school.

"There are not a lot of people who see heart defects and heart failures in people my age. We see little kids, we see really old folks, but I find that middle age group is getting lost," Pacheco said.

During high school, Pacheco turned her story into action, pushing for legislation to make students safer in school.

"I went with the American Heart Association to Virginia's General Assembly, and I was able to get Cardiac Emergency Response plans into every school in Virginia just by sharing my voice and my story," Pacheco said.

For others, the day was about gratitude. Denise Price received a heart transplant on May 16, 2025.

"I chose to be here today to let people know that you can survive a heart transplant, you can survive heart disease, and while you are fighting for your life, you're fighting for your family. You are here because you have a purpose," Price said.

That shared purpose brought the crowd together under a single beat — the sound of a drum. Michelle Nostheide, executive director of the American Heart Association, said survivors would get to beat the drum at the finish line.

"We are all about being extraordinary, and the heartbeat is being mimicked by the sound of a drum this morning," Nostheide said. "And then all the survivors at the finish line will get to beat that drum as well, so we're just excited to continue to celebrate life this morning."

Organizers say their goal is to keep growing the cause.

"All of these people here are passionate, but we haven't reached everyone in Richmond, we haven't reached everyone in central Virginia, so we just need to expand that reach and get everyone a part of our cause," Tobin said.