Five years ago, Richmond Wynn nearly died from a heart condition. Now, he’s raising money to support others with the same condition.
Wynn, an associate professor of public health, is also the vice president of community engagement and partnerships at the University of North Florida. On Oct. 2, Wynn joined a group from UNF for the 20th annual First Coast Heart Walk. The event, held by the American Heart Association, raises money for heart disease research and supports health programs, according to the AHA website.
Five years ago, Wynn suffered from a condition called an aortic dissection. The condition, associated with high blood pressure, caused Wynn’s blood pressure to rise and the walls of his aorta to separate.
“I knew something was wrong when my left leg was just numb,” said Wynn. “Fast forward to getting to the hospital and a cardiothoracic surgeon told me what was going on. I thought it was my leg. Turns out it was my heart. And so it required emergency open heart surgery.”
While the surgery was successful, Wynn had another episode two months into recovery when his heart valve started failing. This led to another open heart surgery.
Since then, Wynn manages his blood pressure with medication and he considers himself lucky to have survived.
“A lot of people don’t survive it. They don’t survive the surgery or they don’t get to the hospital because it’s such a deadly, deadly occurrence. Some people have strokes during surgery or just die on the table or die in early recovery. So I’m very, very fortunate to be alive,” said Wynn.
The 2026 Heart Walk was Wynn’s second time participating. He enjoys hearing about other survivors’ experiences and set a personal fundraising goal of $5,000.
While he raised only $700, Wynn said he is happy to give back to the community.
“It’s nice to be a part of a community of people with some similar lived experience,” said Wynn.
Wynn recommends that Jacksonville residents who want to support people with heart disease connect with the AHA and local hospitals such as Baptist Health.
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