North Texas athlete partners with NFL players to promote heart health awareness

NORTH TEXAS – After struggling with heart problems, a North Texas athlete is teaming up with an NFL player to spread the message of heart health.

When Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field last year, Dallas resident Tom Hulsey could relate. Seven years ago, the triathlete began to suffer from heart problems.

“It was seven months after I crossed the finish line at the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii,” he said. “I went to my cardiologist complaining of chest discomfort and it turned out I was diagnosed with severe coronary artery disease.”

At this point he was in excellent physical condition.

“It shocked me,” Hulsey said. “I was in great shape and doing triathlons and this really threw me for a loop.”

He said he ended up having two stents inserted.

“Then, 11 months later, the symptoms recurred and I had three more stents inserted, but while lying on the table I suffered a heart attack and was subsequently diagnosed with severe carotid artery stenosis and my right artery was about 90% functional. blocked,” he said.

It wasn’t easy getting through it, but as a prostate cancer survivor, he tried to maintain a winning mentality.

“Really, these incidents have given me a real purpose in life, which is to help others,” he said.

Recently, Hulsey learned that Damar Hamlin is working on doing the same. The NFL player teamed up with Abbott to launch the HeartMates program. It raises awareness and provides a support system for those struggling with heart problems.

“I’m so proud of him for really using his voice and his platform to make a difference in the world, and that really touches me,” Hulsey said.

Last month, Hamlin personally asked him to come to a game with him in Buffalo.

“I thought that was really cool!” said Hulsey.

This weekend, Hamlin met with eight Abbott HeartMates. They were invited to a suite where they cheered him on.

“We all wore our jerseys that said ‘HeartMates’ and that alone drew attention to what we were doing,” Hulsey said. “It’s important to talk about it and have other people around you who are your village, so to speak.”

Hulsey wrote a book called “The Winning Mindset That Saved My Life” and said it’s important for those struggling with adversity to know they are not alone.