I Almost Died On This Day

There are moments in life that define who we are -- moments that test our character and our faith. That moment for me came just before sunrise – on May 17, 2005 in Sacramento, California.

Just a few weeks before I was listening to a doctor explain the cause of my persistent cough. I thought I had a pesky case of bronchitis.

“Todd, you’ve got a big heart,” the doctor told me.

I smiled and thanked him for the kind words.

“I appreciate that,” I replied. “I go to church, try to help my neighbors…”

But doing good deeds was not the diagnosis he delivered. It was much more ominous.

My 37-year-old aortic valve had worn itself out. My heart was enlarged. I would need open heart surgery.

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