In Tampa, Florida, an impressive gathering took place at Raymond James Stadium as hundreds came together for the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk on Saturday.

“This event is a cherished tradition and a remarkable occasion,” stated Beth Mourelatos, the Region Senior Vice President for the AHA. “Our aim is to unite the community for a vital cause, promoting health and tackling the nation’s leading health challenge.”

Heart disease claims the lives of one in five Americans annually. The Heart Walk is a key initiative by the AHA to highlight the importance of awareness and advocate for CPR training, given that cardiac emergencies can strike unexpectedly.

Heart attack survivor Don Babinsky, who joined the walk, shared, “I couldn’t accept that I had any issues. My only hint was feeling slightly fatigued now and then. I experienced no chest pain and showed no symptoms.”

Babinsky received an alarming diagnosis after his loved ones urged him to see a doctor. He acknowledges his fortune in identifying the problem just in time.

“They told me maybe 10 minutes later, ‘Sir, you’re having a heart attack right now,’ I said, ‘This cannot be happening. Do you want me to walk to the hospital right now? Because I can walk there. I feel great.’”

With support from his family and friends, he’s walking towards a healthier life. He encourages others to take their heart health seriously, knowing his situation could’ve been a lot worse.

“My patients are all survivors,” said Dr. Debbie Rinde-Hoffman, president of the board and physician at Tampa General Hospital.  “For us to be here to support them and their ongoing journey to good health, I think, is really a great thing for the patients, and it’s a great thing for us as well. It makes us feel happy for what we do.”

Dr. Rinde-Hoffman says good heart health is as simple as diet, exercise, and monitoring conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.