Every year the Heart Walk Association gets kids from middle school, high school and some colleges together for a 5k walk. This walk is a family-friendly event there is organizations, vendors, fun games and food. The Heart Walk will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Generation Park.

Macy Osoria, a Corporate Development Director, joined the Heart Walk Organization in August.

“We expect around 1,000 people this year,” said Osoria. “Generation Park is a nicer location so we are interested to see what happens with the location change. We look for more and more people every year.”

The heart walk impacts students throughout the community and at Kingwood Park.

Freshman Christian Young was diagnosed shortly after birth with a heart murmur. “In November 2015 at a cardiology appointment we were told he needed heart surgery,” his mom Elizabeth Young said. “March 2016, Christian had post resection of a sub-aortic membrane – something had grown over his heart causing a valve to be obstructed and became leaky. When he is done growing, he will have to have this valve replaced.”

Young has been involved in several clubs through his years of school. At Kingwood Middle, he was in service learning, chess club and philosophy club. At Kingwood Park, he is in Student Council.

“Christian has a heart for serving and cares for others,” his mom said.

Along with all of his clubs, one thing Christian enjoys doing in his free time is playing Call of Duty.

When Christian goes to the Heart Walk each year, he likes to see all the other kids that have the same heart problems as he does.

“I like to see other people and how they feel, some people may be different than me, but still have the same heart problems and I’m glad to see them out there,” Young said. “I participate in the Heart Walk because I had my heart surgery in the fifth grade.”

Heart disease is the number one killer among Americans and stroke is number five. You do not have to sign up for the heart walk and there is no registration fee. All participants and donations are welcome.

“The money goes back towards heart research, we like to do different research for heart disease and also want to give back to the education side as well, which will help with things such as CPR training,” Osoria said.