PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — During American Heart Month, a dynamic duo is on a lifesaving mission to fight heart disease with fitness.
For Jeff Perez, who trains with his daughter Stephanie in Northeast Philadelphia, it’s a journey of survival.
“I feel better and stronger,” he said.
The 62-year-old has been battling cardiomyopathy, a condition that weakens the heart muscle, for 12 years.
“I started having severe chest pain and shortness of breath,” Perez said.
He said he will eventually need a heart transplant because his heart is failing. For now, he’s being kept alive by an LVAD, a type of external heart pump.
There are thousands of people like Perez waiting for a transplant. He wants to improve his odds by staying in the best shape possible.
Stephanie, the general manager of Planet Fitness in Northeast Philadelphia, oversees her father’s fitness routine.
“I’m really happy just to have him here,” she said. “I’m always checking on him.”
He is also being closely monitored by doctors at Temple, who have told him that daily training is important.
“It was scary at first,” Perez said. “And I remember what his father went through before he died. He was 63 years old when he died from the same thing.”
Battling heart disease is a family affair, and Stephanie is currently paying attention to her own heart health while caring for her father.
“He’s always done everything for me, so I want to give back as much as I can,” she said.
Let’s train together and have fun together as we look forward to a bright future. Strengthen your mind by combining laughter and fitness.
