FORT WORTH, Texas \u2014 Back in 2015, when Carmen David welcomed her youngest daughter, she never imagined that her best day would become her worst day.<\/p>\n
Hours after giving birth, David suffered an aortic dissection, a tear in the body\u2019s biggest artery.<\/p>\n
She was separated from her baby, whisked away, and put on a helicopter.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mind went to, \u2018I\u2019m gonna die,\u2019\u201d Davi said. \u201cI just remember my family looking like that was the last time they were going to see me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thankfully, doctors at UT Southwestern in Fort Worth patched her up and over time, David\u2019s body slowly recovered, but her mind was immeasurably damaged.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was severely depressed,\u201d she said. \u201cI was just really a wreck and felt like I needed to find who I was again.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Navy veteran, David always had an active lifestyle, but now she struggled to even get out of bed, afraid that doing too much would be a death sentence.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t want my kids growing up seeing that,\u201d she said. \u201cI felt like there was more for me to do than wallow away in my depression. I needed to do something to get out of this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once David got back on her feet, she was off and running. And on a mission.<\/p>\n
In 2017, she founded the Run for Aortic Health and in the eight years since, she\u2019s raised more than $150 thousand for the John Ritter Foundation.<\/p>\n
The ninth annual run is Saturday in Fort Worth.<\/p>\n
She wants to raise even more money and awareness, educating those who are unaware of this condition and those who believe it only affects seniors.<\/p>\n
More importantly, however, for survivors, she wants to provide hope.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve felt very called to helping other people,\u201d David said. \u201cI don\u2019t want them to feel alone. I want them to know they have somebody to lean on and there are other resources and organizations to help them on the journey.\u201d<\/p>\n
Healing through compassion is a good first step.<\/p>\n