Will Your Heart Outlast You?
I was born in February so my birthday parties always incorporated hearts. A red heart cake, pink confetti hearts, heart-shaped balloons. My family has heart problems. Weak ones as it turns out.
- My dad died from his second heart attack—four days after his 47th birthday
- My mom happily survived her third heart attack in November of 2025
- My grandfather died of a heart attack
- Two uncles have had heart attacks
- Six great-uncles had heart attacks
That is a lot of weak hearts. I pretty much know what health crisis I may be looking forward to in the
future. I even have my own cardiologist now who has run all kinds of tests to establish my baseline.
Even though both of my parents had physical problems with their hearts, they both had an everlasting
capacity for loving and protecting their children. Both of my parents had created their will, healthcare
documents, and powers of attorney.
If your family has never experienced a gut-wrenching sudden loss, or a terrifying health care crisis
complete with a life flight, multiple trauma teams, and 19 days in an intensive care unit, you might
not understand how deeply my sister and I appreciated these gifts.
These documents kept us out of court in a time of extreme chaos and high emotional stress. My dad left
me personal mementos—items I still treasure—such as his baseball jacket, citation patches from his
years in law enforcement, and a framed picture of him in his ball cap blowing a big, huge bubblegum
bubble. Not much—but everything at the same time.
The number one excuse I hear from people who think they do not need to create an estate plan is: "I
don't have much." My reply is always the same, "You have a family, and they are priceless."
Estate planning documents are not for you. They are for your loved ones. Both of my parents had very
large hearts. It didn't matter their hearts were weak. It was how they showed my sister and I they loved
us while they were alive and well that mattered most.
After my mom’s first heart attack we gave my mom a statue of a little boy holding a heart with a note
from her toddler grandson. “It’s OK if your heart is sick, you can have some of mine.”
Will your heart be everlasting for your family?
For help with your estate planning, contact Cholewka Law at 480-497-3770 or visit
gilbertlawoffice.com for additional information.