Burnsville woman connects with Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin through heart condition program
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 got to meet safety Damar Hamlin. This special moment with the pro athlete came together for reasons they wish never happened.
"We're all bound by these experiences that we've shared," said Hoehn-Low.
The people in this select group, including Heidi and Hamlin, are all survivors of cardiac events and they are part of a group called Abbott HeartMates, a program that creates a support system for people with heart conditions.
"Meeting him was incredible," said Hoehn-Low. "He was so gracious with his time. He signed autographs for my son and all of his friends."
Hamlin is part of this community after his cardiac arrest on the field in January 2023, which millions watched unfold on TV.
Meanwhile, Hoehn-Low's incident happened two years earlier on Dec. 23, 2020. She had a stroke, and being in the middle of the pandemic, she was more isolated than ever.
"So now being on the other side of it, I really want to try to be the light for others who are going through a really, really dark time in their lives," said Hoehn-Low.
Being that advocate for others is exactly what she's doing now, alongside Hamlin. They're both spreading awareness that no one is immune from serious health scares.
"I watch what I eat, I don't smoke, I don't drink," said Hoehn-Low. "You can be a professional athlete, you can be the top of your game, you can be young and physically fit and you can still have a stroke or a heart episode."
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, are about able to hold both arms up or is one side weak
S - Slurred speech
T - Time...which is critical.
If you answer "yes" to any of those signs, call 911.
For more information on Abbott's HeartMates can be found here.