While living on the Washington Coast, I began experiencing deep bouts of depression. One day, the darkest of my life, I found a small, white, naturally-shaped heart, tumbling in the surf. Instantly, I saw it as my reminder that I matter, am loved, and am not alone.

At the time, I was a Spanish teacher. When I noticed that students were going through difficult life experiences, I would go to the beach and find a heart rock to be their reminder that things will get better. I'd invite them to keep it for as long as they need it, and then to pass it on.

After a while, I couldn't find more naturally-shaped hearts on the beach, so I got a little tile saw and began roughly carving my own.

I began hiding them in public places, and watching people become ecstatic upon finding one. I realized that if I made enough heart rocks, I could make the world a better place with them, AND that it would be fun for me too! So, I made hundreds of them.

Then in 2019, after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and losing a loved one to suicide, I swore in my grief that I would make 100,000 hearts and convince good people to give them to their loved ones.

My hope was that if I made enough hearts, surely someone would use one someday to save the life of a loved one.

Years, and hundreds of thousands of hearts later, I'm aware of 125 instances where a life has been saved.

AND THE BEST PART ABOUT MY STORY???

Is that this is only the beginning!

I will use my life to make millions of hearts and inspire people to share them with their loved ones.

If there's even the smallest chance it could help one person, isn't is worth all the effort?

So, please excuse me, I need to go make more hearts.