Dear Mom,

Dear Mom,

I did something today that I have never done before. I walked a 5k for the American Heart Association in memory of you. That's 3.2 miles. I did it in 55 minutes. I don't know if that's a good time or not because I've never done it. Every time I wanted to stop, or want to divert the path, I would look down at my tribute on my shirt where it said, "I'm walking in memory of.......MY MOM, Maureen Sutton", I would remember the time you had your surgery of 4 bypasses and your valve replaced. Or I would remember when you'd have such tremendous swelling. Or when you couldn't breathe very well. Or when you were so tired. Those thoughts encouraged me to continue.

Why didn't I do this when you were alive? Why is it that I waited until you were "gone" that I developed a passion to wipe heart disease away? Is it because getting involved would have made me see the reality of your condition and that would have scared me? Maybe it would have taken time away from you. Times that were so precious to me. I don't know.

I miss you mom!!!! I miss your voice, I miss your encouragement, I miss your laughter, I miss your praise, and I miss the times we would just goof around and go shopping or to lunch, or to get our nails done. Or just talk on the phone for hours. Stuff that mothers and daughters do.

I walked this 5K with you on my mind and in my heart. 57 is too too young to die. And I follow that with how grateful I am you're in the biggest sanctuary of all.

Mom, there were some incredible people there on my team that never met you, but probably feel they know you because I talk about you. Patti encouraged me to keep walking, Rebecca had to put her horse down today, and Jen and Clare had to run to their boys baseball game right when we were done. And because these folks love to run/walk and want to see an end to heart disease, they showed up.

Mom, we did it!!!!!!! I DID IT!!!! I finished today. I didn't quit. Because you taught me to keep moving forward no matter what.

I love you Mom!!!