So many of you know my dad. He’s loud, funny, loving, loud, makes a delicious pizza, and is pretty much the best dad ever. He’s walking the Heart Walk in Chicago, and he needs help raising his fundraising goal.

Many of you know my dad because you ask me to call him up for medical advice (he’s a nurse by trade) – a weird pain here, a cut that won’t heal, questions about whether or not walking pneumonia is contagious.

Some of you know my dad for our family’s pizza nights. Our favorites include bacon and onion, mushroom, and clam.

Others just know my dad through me, and you know that while intimidating sometimes, (“Girls, stop laughing and go to bed, it’s 1 am), he’s really just a guy with a big heart who loves his family, his work, and his country fiercely.

Did you know that heart disease claims the lives of more people than the next 3 leading causes of death combined? I am sure you probably know someone who has had heart disease, and it’s a scary thing to see someone go through. Research, education, and access to care can make a difference, and these walks help us to reduce the number of people lost to heart disease.

Do it for me. Do it for my dad. Do it in memory of my Uncle Tom, or your uncle or mother or grandfather or your neighbor or your husband or your wife. Do it for you!

Let’s help my dad reach his goal and maybe even double it — who knows, with a little help from us, we just might make the world go round.

Thanks, friends.