My name is Amy Jones. I am 37 years old. September 7, 2009 was the day my life changed forever. The first part of my story will be told from the recollection of others – the story may be incomplete because my husband, who is a major part in this story, does not like to talk about this. It is simply too painful. It is easier for me because I don't remember. I am almost a third party to the entire experience.

On the evening of February 19, 2008, we welcomed our precious Leila Julianna into the world, born with a clean bill of health. We spent the typical three days in the hospital and then came home to settle in. After a busy evening at home, we all fell asleep. You never think when you fall asleep, that when you wake up, your entire life will change. But ours did. I awoke in the night to a chilling silence and a terrible feeling inside.
August 25, 2008 could have been a delightful day for Jim Niskanen. Two days earlier he arrived at the picturesque and luxurious Oglebay Resort and Conference Center outside Wheeling, West Virginia. Oglebay is the largest self-sustaining public resort in the USA, and includes a conference center, three golf courses and a zoo.
Teach for America* nearly lost one of their stars. Just one month after his 24th birthday, Evan collapsed on the St John’s University basketball court. He’d had a trying month, twenty days straight without a break, and this was his first day off. It became a longer time-out than planned.
Eddie had no idea it would be so important. He just decided on a whim to drive to the club and use the treadmill for his morning run. Normally he pounded the neighborhood streets around 5:30am. Not that spring day.
Sophia loved her work. She hung out with her work mates, and made good money. Not any more. The happy twenty-year-old was enjoying an impromptu party at a colleague's apartment after work late one evening when everything suddenly changed. Sophia only knows what they’ve told her. And she doesn’t really want to know at all.
Michael is a pianist. He was once a large pianist — now he’s more careful, and slimmer! In 1999 he suffered a severe heart attack and needed a quadruple bypass. Unfortunately, his heart muscle was damaged and his EF remains very low. At that time ICDs were not implanted as a safety measure like they are now for LVEF <%35. So that brings us to his story.
After their normal Saturday breakfast out, Steve decided to get a quick bike ride in before they sat down to watch the Kentucky Derby. Diane was preparing for the race when the door bell rang. She was expecting Steve back, but it was the Sheriff’s deputy at the door, with bad news. Steve had had an accident and was at the hospital. Diane wasn’t overly worried since he’d had many scrapes before. Just one of the downsides to regularly riding a push bike 100 miles on highways.





