I Thought I Was Invincible Until My Heart Proved Me Wrong

By Rob Thomson

I’ve always been an athlete. I wasn’t thinking about cholesterol or heart health—just living, having fun, and making the wrong decisions. My family had a history, sure, but I figured I was too young and strong for it to touch me. 

In 2015, a heart scan showed I was high risk. That scared me into action. I changed my diet, lost weight, started meds—then stopped when I felt better. Five years later, I had a massive heart attack. 

That shook me. I went vegan, lost over 60 pounds, got serious about my health. But six months later, I had another heart event. This time, the mental recovery was the hardest. I had to rebuild more than just my body—I had to rebuild my trust in my doctors and myself. Now I take my meds, stay active, and speak up in my community. I have a great support system, and I’m not wasting this second chance. If you’re reading this, stop playing with your heart. Get your LDL checked. Trust your care team. And most of all—don’t wait until it’s too late. Tomorrow isn’t promised. 

For more information on this topic, visit www.heart.org.

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