Cross-Canada cyclist turns tragedy into mission to help others
After becoming high school sweethearts, Adam felt he and Jackie would be together forever.
“We were just so connected,” Adam says. “We also had so much respect and appreciation for each other.”
Getting married to Jackie was inevitable. The pride Adam felt watching her become a mom to their two boys is still almost indescribable.
“She’s was amazing,” Adam starts crying. “She was amazing.”
He says “was” because of what happened that seemingly perfect summer day when they were playing softball together.
“I looked over to check and see that the rest of our outfield was ready,” Adam recalls. “And saw Jackie slumped in a pile.”
He ran over to try and revive her. While they waited for the ambulance, a teammate performed CPR.
“To no avail. We lost her,” Adam says. “Without warning.”
Jackie was just 31. And Adam was left a single dad to their one-year-old and three-year-old.
“More important than me falling into myself and wallowing, I had to raise two boys.”
There was no time to investigate the mystery of how his seemingly healthy young wife could suffer a sudden cardiac arrest.
Until 17 years later, when out of the blue, their oldest son Greg’s heart suddenly stopped beating, leaving him incapacitated.
“There’s probably not much that will be able to be done for him,” Adam says. “But my other boy is genetically at risk.”
Adam has since learned that Jackie and his boys have a genetic heart condition called Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC).
Adam says ARVC is like a ticking time bomb that you often can’t hear until it’s too late, and it affects seemingly healthy young people.
“We don’t want other people to feel this,” Adam says. “We’re going to fix this.”
Adam’s striving to do that by cycling across Canada to raise awareness about ARVC and funds for research.
He completed his first leg from Newfoundland to Ontario. The final leg from B.C. back to Ontario is underway now.
“We can’t always control what life throws at us,” Adam says. “But we can choose how to respond to it.”
So instead of being consumed by grief, Adam is choosing to be motivated by the one thing Jackie wanted their boys to grow-up practicing: being kind to others.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.