COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Thousands will gather this Saturday at Livingston Park to kick off The National African American Male Wellness Walk, but it’s so much more than just a walk. It literally saves lives.
Cecil Ahad credits the walk with saving his life in 2016.
“I credit that walk of really saving me of being there, the walk saved my life,” said Ahad.
Cecil Ahad has been coming to the walk since it started in Columbus in 2011, but last year was different. He felt something different about his heart rate. “I woke up that morning of the walk. I had spoken to my wife that
“I woke up that morning of the walk. I had spoken to my wife that I don’t know if I should go over there to that walk, maybe take it easy.” Ahad said. “But I got to thinking, wait a minute the doctors are going to be there.”
Ahad came to the walk and saw a doctor on site. “I told him how I was feeling he checked my pulse, checked my heart he said
“I told him how I was feeling. He checked my pulse, checked my heart he said, ‘I think you better go to the emergency room just to be safe,'” stated Ahad.
He spent two days in the hospital and tells NBC4 the doctors said to him he wasn’t going anywhere.
“I said I’m ready to go back to the walk maybe they would give me something to calm me down and be right back to business but wasn’t the case,” Ahad said.
He was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Ahad has seen many others benefit from the 5k and the health screenings and wants to see as many people as possible on Saturday.
“Just want to encourage everyone you need to be a part of this. go! it’s free health screenings, the walk saved my life,” said Ahad.
Registration for the walk begins at Livingston park at 7am on Saturday, August 12, 2017.