On my sixth birthday, I was gifted with the diagnosis of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, also known as HCM, a heart disease that causes the heart muscle to thicken excessively. Due to the enlarged muscle, the heart has difficulty pumping blood. To manage my heart rate and reduce my symptoms, I have been prescribed beta-blockers for most of my life. When I was little, I strove to be normal; however, it was difficult. I could not run, participate in team sports, or play intense games. Therefore, I had to find my own form of entertainment, my unique normal. When sitting on the sidelines, I was everyone’s cheerleader and supported my classmates. Other times, I was embarrassed and sat drinking water, staring at the wall. Unfortunately, the older I got, the more severe my condition became. On July 1st, 2015, at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, I had a septal myectomy to remove extra heart muscle from my left ventricle. When reflecting on this time in my life, I am reminded of the extreme anxiety I had. All at once, I was in pain and recovery, had lost my friends, and was dealing with my father’s alcoholism. It was a lot to handle, and being just eleven years old, I could hardly grasp it all. Post-surgery, my doctor luckily lifted some of my restrictions, and I was taken off my medication. My outstanding dad obtained sobriety, and my dreams of being part of a team came true when I was given permission to join cheerleading! Gratefully, I found true friends who accepted me for me, and I was finally living a “normal” teenage life. Monday, March 8th, 2021, changed my life for the better, despite how terrifying it was. My greatest fear came true when I went into sudden cardiac arrest. What is a sudden cardiac arrest? A sudden cardiac arrest is an unexpected loss of consciousness, breathing, and heart functioning. Miraculously, Mondays were in-person learning days for my cohort during the pandemic. The grim reality is that if I had been at home for school that day, I would likely not be writing this essay. Originally, I had a “why me?” outlook. Through the organization “Parent Heart Watch”, I have been able to connect with other survivors, as well as parents of those who were not as fortunate as me. Their stories have helped me grow and realize how lucky I am. Now, I am the proud owner of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (or as my cardiologist calls it, my parachute). My goal in this “second life” is to make an impact. I want my voice to be heard, and my story to be told. I no longer ask myself, “why me?” and am so thankful that it was my day to stay because I still have much to accomplish.