Thousands of walkers returned to D.C.’s National Mall for the 2025 Heart Walk
WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov 17, 2025 – Around 10,000 walkers gathered on the National Mall for the 2025 Greater Washington Region Heart Walk, raising more than $2.1 million for the fight against heart disease and stroke. These 579 teams, 90 companies and thousands of walkers included survivors and their loved ones, medical professionals, advocates, workforce leaders and other supporters. Rocky Thurston, CEO of DMI, chaired the campaign.
“It’s an honor to be here today representing Team DMI; many of us have been personally affected by heart disease,” said Thurston. “Without the American Heart Association’s last century of impact and billions of dollars in research funding, our world would look very different. With each step you take and each dollar you raise, you are funding innovation, advancing policy and expanding the Nation of Lifesavers.”
The Heart Walk honors lives gone too soon, celebrates survivors and raises lifesaving funds for heart disease and stroke research and treatment. The event also aims to expand the Nation of Lifesavers by teaching more families the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR.
Fox 5’s Shirin Rajaee emceed the Walk for the second year, joined by WASH-FM’s Jenni Chase, returning for the fifth year. Fitness pro Laurent Amzallag of Kaiser Permanente helped walkers warm up and cool down with a stretch, dance and movement routine. The walk featured a special Survivor Lane honoring heart disease and stroke survivors as they crossed the finish line. Singer and reigning Miss Susquehanna Valley, Abby Traxler, delivered the National Anthem with American Sign Language interpretation from Miss Capitol Hill, Kisa Motiwala. Youth survivors took the stage to help count down the final moments to start the walk. The event featured a Kids Zone with games and activities for all ages and concluded with the highly anticipated pet parade, showcasing four-legged, furry supporters with heart. Throughout the event, participants had a chance to learn Hands-Only CPR and learn how to make donations of healthy food to local food banks.
The stage program honored top fundraisers and Move More activity challenge winners who logged the most minutes of active movement in the leadup to the walk. American Heart Association, Greater Washington Region Board Chair Vishal Tulsian of RELI Group and Board President Ameya Kulkarni, M.D. of Kaiser Permanente, announced the top fundraising companies: Gooden LLC, Walgreens and Sheehy Auto Stores.
Top individual fundraisers were Linda Gooden, Vince Sheehy and Vicki Schmanske. Top fundraising community teams were Warrior Zeke and His Comrades, Steps for Steve and Hart Consulting.
Lauren Culbertson, Chief Marketing Officer of Sheehy Auto Stores, announced the Move More Challenge winners, which included companies Peraton, Unissant and Johns Hopkins Community Physicians; teams Team Peraton IT, Peraton Corporate Communications & Engagement and Pumped with Purpose-Team Gowri; and individuals Charlotte L., Joe C. and Jango U. The challenge was sponsored by Sheehy Auto Stores.
The Heart Association thanks Rocky Thurston for his time and dedication as chair, as well as Lauren Sipple, CPA, CGFM, managing director at KPMG and Greater Washington Region board member, for serving as Executives with Heart chair, leading the campaign to raise over $670,000 from 101 local business leaders.
Supporters can still make a lifesaving donation to the Heart Walk through the end of 2025.
During and in the lead up to the Heart Walk, event leaders, survivors and advocates shared their stories and why they walk. Survivor Delya Sommerville was on CBS 9 DC; volunteer Christina Buckley and event chair Rocky Thurston appeared on ABC 7 DC; Greater Washington Region Board President, Dr. Ameya Kulkarni and fitness leader Laurent Amzallag shared health and fitness tips in preview segments. Thurston offered a live event preview on Fox 5 DC. Survivor Andrea Wongsam and supporter Lauren Culbertson of Sheehy Auto Stores shared their stories live from the walk on NBC 4 Washington.