“No matter the risks we take, we always consider the end to be too soon, even though in life, more than anything else, quality should be more important than quantity.” – Alex Honnold

I remember when my “too soon” almost happened when I was just 25 years old in 2010. I was awakened from a dead sleep to my heartbeat racing at 180 bpm. It took hours to finally get to the hospital, and when I did, my heart stopped 3 times and I was cardioverted. At that moment, the last thing I remember before my heart was shocked back to life was acknowledging that if I died, my 2-year-old son would not remember me.

What I thought were going to be my last moments on Earth due to my Congenital Heart Defects were actually my rebirth. The moment I opened my eyes and realized I was still alive brought about relief and appreciation for life I had never had before, along with the deafening reality that I was mortal.

I will never forget the next words… “You have undiagnosed Congenital Heart Defects, and this will happen again”.

It did… over, and over, and over again.

Failed surgeries and medications over the course of 5 years, each heart scan and EKG seemingly worse than the one before. Arrhythmias every day, knowing my heart could stop at any moment, and my last breath could be taken. Living knowing that I was just waiting to die. I was a shell of the person I remember being.

This is me with CHD.

I could have given up, accepted my fate that I would always be weak, unable to get off the couch, and even become everything I ever dreamed of. But something happened one day…. I chose to fight. And that choice came from the smallest, and most unlikely place. My son.

Sitting on the couch with my son a couple years after this incident (him now being 4 years old), watching American Ninja Warrior as I explain to him that I have loved this show since I was in highschool. I spoke with him about my favorite athletes and that I always wanted to be a Ninja Warrior.

“You should be on American Ninja Warrior”, he said. “Gerrick, I can’t even walk up the stairs because of my heart, I would never be able to do this.”

……… “Why do you have excuses and not believe in yourself”, he says to me.

At that moment, I knew what I had to do. “Gerrick, I promise that I will get healthy and do American Ninja Warrior”. We sealed it with a pinky promise, and I knew I had to prove the impossible to not only myself, but to him. If I gave up, then he would never know that impossibilities are meant to be achieved.

I started by walking up the stairs in my home every day so I could finally sleep in my own bed. Up until this point, I had been sleeping downstairs on the couch, because my heart was not able to allow me to walk upstairs to go to my own bedroom. Slowly, I was able to achieve this, and even sleep in my own bed.

Next, I began getting back outside to go on walks, taking my son with me, and going to the park every day to play at the playground. I was still having arrhythmias every day and I wanted to give up.

I remember breaking down crying on my bed, praying to God, and just promising that if He gave me the strength to fight, that I would use my story to help others. I had to fight, and I knew that I couldn’t just keep fading into nothingness.

One foot in front of the other. I would always tell myself this as I started walking the straights and running the curves at the local track. “One more step.. one more step.. one more step”.. Telling myself this over and over again in the face of feeling like I was going to black out.

I couldn’t stop. I made a promise to my son, and I was going to fulfill that.

By 2016, six long years after learning about my multiple Structural and Electrical Congenital Heart Defects on that almost fateful night, I touched a climbing wall for the first time. It was Valentine’s Day, and I brought my son with me. I remember falling over and over again. I was still struggling with heart problems, but slowly becoming stronger through my 5 workouts every week.

This was the last piece of the puzzle. I needed to learn how to climb if I was ever going to compete on American Ninja Warrior. However, I had never heard of a rock climber with Congenital Heart Disease. Was this even possible?

Well, I was going to make it possible, and I did.

My son is now 15 years old, and not only did I get “The Call” once from NBC’s American Ninja Warrior, but received it 3 times!

He was able to watch me just eat shit on the course, fall into the water, and get a really rad American Ninja Warrior towel thrown at me as my consolation prize. Well, it was mostly to make sure I didn’t get water all over the set. I still have that towel, and I wear it proudly.

I may have fallen on that course, but I never failed. I kept that promise. It took me 8 years to get on American Ninja Warrior, but I did it. In the face of uncertainty and not even knowing if it was possible, I bet on myself and made it happen, because that is what I do.

This is me with CHD.. I don’t fail. I fall, but I get my ass up EVERY.DAMN.TIME !

Not only did I accomplish that promise, but I also became a USA Climbing Member, won a couple climbing competitions, came in 2nd at climbing competitions, and even 3rd place.

I have sent projects climbing outdoors that I didn’t know were even possible.

I became an athlete.

I workout every day, whether it’s putting in 17+ miles on my Peloton, climbing for multiple hours, lifting weights, running, snowboarding, or playing a pick-up sand volleyball game.

My body and heart are strong, because I put in the effort. There is no easy way to where I am today.

It has been literal blood, sweat, tears, hospital visits, and anxiety.

I still have arrhythmias and am on daily heart medication, but I will never stop. I love my life filled with adventure and no longer worry about what I am capable of.

Call me “Extra”, but hey, I didn’t wake up to be Basic.

I didn’t get to go back to the person I was before I almost died like I had hoped. But something else happened. I became a stronger more evolved version of Her. I started really living, and I have no regrets.

So moral of the story? This is me with CHD.

Yeah, I will land in the hospital here and there because of my heart, and yes the paramedics know our home really well (true story, they remember me every time they get the call), but more than likely, I will just be climbing some epic rocks!

Push limits, fight for what you want, and don’t listen to statistics that tell you that will never happen.

I will be living a long life with CHD, climbing rocks, and doing physical activities I probably have no right doing, because that is what I do.

“It’s not about conquering the mountain, but conquering yourself.” – Alex Honnold

One day I will find my limit with being an Athlete, but that day is not today.

With love during Heart Month,

Molly (Me with CHD)