More than 400 participants gathered at Harrisburg City Island on the afternoon of Sept. 19 for the annual Capital Region Heart Walk. Although the event had fewer participants than in previous years, it raised over $326,000 for the American Heart Association, an organization focused on heart and brain health for all, while promoting physical and mental health through healthy habits.

The participants included heart disease survivors and their family members, who wore their commemorative Heart Walk baseball caps and Heart Hero capes, as well as local company teams. The teams from TE Connectivity and Weis Markets led as the top fundraising companies.

The star of this year's Heart Walk was 4-year-old congenital heart defect survivor Niko Mesich from Boiling Springs. Niko was diagnosed with congenital heart defects, including unicuspid aortic valve, aortic valve stenosis and mitral valve regurgitation, when he was born in August 2017. He underwent his first open heart surgery to reconstruct his aortic valve at just 14 days old and his second open heart surgery to correct the mitral valve and further open the aortic valve at 7 weeks old.

After sharing their story, the Mesich family members led walkers to the start line to kick off the walk around City Island. Walkers had the option to continue walking across the bridge to Riverfront Park and back to extend their walk to a 5K.

Supporters who were unable to attend the Heart Walk in person were encouraged to walk on their own path. The American Heart Association encourages anyone who wishes to support the Heart Walk, but was unable to attend the event in person, to walk where they are and share their walk on social media using #HbgHeartWalk.

The funds raised at events like the Heart Walk support the American Heart Association's mission, including advocating for public policy to improve community health, advancing the science of CPR, improving outcomes for heart and stroke patients, and investing in cardiovascular research that has led to life-saving advancements in prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.

To learn more or to donate, visit http://www.heart.org/capitalregionwalk.