PORTLAND, Ore. — A call for heart health during the month of February is very personal for Brooke Olzendam.
“He was just 27 and he would have made such a difference with his life,” she said of husband Andy Collins.
They were married only 10 days when Andy collapsed on a treadmill and died of a heart attack in July 2011.
“I was glad we had a big wedding. It was his chance to see the faces of those he loved and those who loved him," Olzendam said.
On Wednesday, the NBC Sports Northwest broadcast reporter kicked off her “Brooke Hearts Your Heart” campaign to raise money for the American Heart Association.
The Portland Trail Blazers announced the team would match the first $5,000 raised.
“There’s a need for more CPR training, AEDs to help people right away and more research,” Olzendam said.
Olzendam remembers Andy was unusually tired every time he worked out and wonders if she and his family overlooked warning signs.
“If I can change just one life by sharing my story, it will be worth it," she said.
Donations to her AHA campaign can be made here.
