Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Williams
Hi Dan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story is best described by a recent article published by the American Heart Association ( June, 2024)
“After surviving a heart attack, Dan Williams is now winning medals at the Maryland Senior Olympics for track and field. (Photo courtesy of Dan Williams)
Dan Williams of Reston, Virginia, was under a lot of stress when he felt a pounding sensation in his chest.
He thought it was probably pneumonia and knew he should go to the hospital to get checked out.
But it was also just one more thing to worry about, on top of a mounting pile of professional and financial woes. Williams worked in telecommunications sales and had been through a tumultuous stretch at work because he’d struggled to hit the sales quotas needed to keep his job.
After losing everything in 2008 during the Great Recession, he knew exactly how hard it would be to lose his livelihood again – and it was on his mind constantly. He neglected his physical and emotional health while dealing with the all-consuming stress from his job.
Williams, who was 63 at the time, went to a veteran’s hospital in West Virginia to get checked out.
When he got there, a doctor examined him and said, “Well, you do have pneumonia. But you also had a heart attack last night.”
Williams was immediately transferred to a veteran’s hospital in Washington, D.C., to undergo a routine procedure to insert a stent into a coronary artery to improve blood flow in his heart.
It turned out to be far from routine. The procedure triggered multiple heart attacks, requiring open-heart surgery.
When Williams’ family got to the hospital, the head surgeon told them he didn’t expect Williams to survive the operation.
The surgery took nine hours. A major issue was internal bleeding; it was difficult to stop because of blood thinners Williams had been taking. Doctors later told Williams his heart stopped twice while on the table.
As he began to recover, Williams saw an X-ray of his lungs. The pneumonia caused so much inflammation that the X-ray image “looked like London fog,” Williams said.
Williams thought about his four daughters and his partner, Karen Catone. He didn’t want to put them through anything else.
“I knew I needed to start taking care of myself and being accountable for my own health,” he said. “I had to start walking or I was going to die.”
So, he called for the nurse and said, “I’m ready to walk.”
He shuffled out to the hospital hallway. He saw an artificial Christmas tree at the end of the hallway and said, “That’s my goal.”
Over the next five weeks, he kept persisting, one step at a time, eventually making it all the way to the tree and back. He left the hospital vowing to keep going.
Only, he didn’t. He slipped back into poor eating habits, high stress and a sedentary lifestyle.
A few years later, he was out to dinner with Catone. He’d struggled to move around that day and felt bloated at the table. He heard a voice say, “You’re not going to get another second chance.”
That proved to be the wake-up call he needed.
Williams started exercising, walking a few minutes at a time at first. Then he decided to try running again. He’d loved the sport earlier in his life. He was a cross-country runner in high school and finished a few marathons in his 20s. He’d shown potential but let it go when he got sucked in to a fast-paced career in the tech industry.
He found a local master’s track club and started competing in track events so he could push himself and find a community.
“I loved connecting with people who were using running to live a full and happy life,” he said.
Williams soon entered the 2016 Maryland Senior Olympics – and won a bronze medal in the 100-meter dash. He loved that running required him to keep showing up, through the highs and lows, to perform well. He knows he doesn’t want to walk away from the sport again.
“On the hard training days, I think about how much worse it was when I was in the hospital, struggling to walk,” he said.
He joined a team and hired a coach to hold himself accountable and train with intention, as he continues to compete in prestigious senior events. He also created a community devoted to helping others find their own path to a healthy and active life.
“I was granted extra innings in life, and I don’t want to squander them,” said Williams, who’s now 74. “I want to help other people see that it is possible to go from near death to gold medals.”
His Senior Olympics teammate Willie Spruill said it’s easy to feel inspired by Williams.
“He trains and competes with an infectious determination,” Spruill said. “He’s moved a lot of people through his story.”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
– Injuries: calf, achilles,
– Surgery for torn meniscus,
– Broken ribs caused by falling across the finish line at the Senior Games In Albuquerque, New Mexico,
– Tested positive for Covid after the Games. TIA (stroke) after returning from Senior Games in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Neurosurgeon believes there was a correlation between stroke and TIA
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Founded The New Heart for Life Community with the mission of ” Helping Other Live a Fit & Quality Life”. There are over 80 college ambassador across three continents ( mostly North America) applying my comeback story and book, 21 Fitness Principles for themselves and creating awareness with family friends and colleagues.
A few of the many quotes from those applying, best describe why I am so proud and how our brand is unique with the college demographic (zoomers) as they desire a different fitness and health lifestyle then their parents, grandparents;
Rohan K, – UC Berkeley
“After reviewing the resource links, what truly inspires me to contribute my passion and skills to The New Heart for Life Community is a deeply personal experience. My mom had a cancer scare, and that moment changed everything for our family. It made me realize how fragile life can be and how important it is to cherish every moment and live life to its fullest potential.
Witnessing her resilience and determination to overcome that challenge ignited a fire in me to pursue a healthier, more active lifestyle. This passion also fueled my desire to co-found a business dedicated to helping our community thrive. With my background in marketing, I’ve been able to leverage my skills to spread awareness and create programs that encourage others to prioritize their health and well-being at my gym.
When I read about your comeback story and the 21 Fitness Principles that guided you through such a challenging time, I felt an immediate connection. I want to bring my marketing expertise and entrepreneurial spirit to this community to help others reclaim their lives, just as my mom did, and to ensure that no one feels alone in their journey toward better health and well-being.”
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Jenny W. – Liberty University
“The New Heart for Life Community sticks out to me tremendously. I’m a big purpose seeker and this community radiates that. Whatever I do, I want passion behind it. The topic of helping others, living out an active lifestyle, and community is what I’m passionate about. Dan’s story is extremely inspiring to me. It impacts me and I guarantee many other people.
Life isn’t easy and ultimately it’s a choice. A choice to live it, and live it to the fullest healthily. I like how the videos mentioned how it’s a process. Rewarding things in life doesn’t come easy. You have to work for some things, and in this generation, everyone wants quick fixes. That isn’t always the case. It’s good to have goals but it’s also great to have a healthy way of life that gets you to those goals. Those goals you work for bring the biggest joys in life. Comfort zones can be hard to get out of, but once you get out of them it’s so worth it. I have tons of personal experiences with that in my own life, including sports.
It would be an honor to bring my passion and skills to this community. I have a lot of experience with the topics in the videos. Sports have always been a huge part of my life. Community alone has changed my life as well. I’m an open person, and I love sharing my story to help others. I’m a great communicator, hard worker, versatile, and quick learner. I love hearing new ideas and learning new concepts ”
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Zakaria L. Eastern Connecticut State University
“What inspires me to contribute my passion and skills to The New Heart for Life Community is being able to be part of an initiative to improve the livelihood of others. Looking at the story as a former high school track athlete it is inspiring to be able to win a gold medal after escaping death multiple times. Turning a terrible situation into a successful business and not letting it hinder your goals is a level of dedication most can’t exhibit. Looking through the 21 principles I also thought it was a very easy concept to understand and use. The New Heart for Life Community is an organization that I would love to work in and play an active part in helping others. ”
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
An awareness amongst the younger generation to start early in their lifelong quest of living a fit and quality lives.
Pricing:
- Available for speaking, coaching and workshops on my story from near death to gold at the senior olympics and how to apply the 21 fitness principles in their own lives and fitness journey – pricing to be negotiated by on needs of client.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://newheartforlife.com
- Instagram: @thenewheartforlifecommunity and @ dan_newheart4life
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/21FitnessPrinciples
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@danwilliams8269
- Other: **** All Encompassing Site – Linktree – https://linktr.ee/newheartforlife – All Relevant Links with Interviews, punlished articles, Ambassador testimonials etc.
