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Garmong Construction Employee, Stroke Survivor, raises $250,000 in fight for cardiovascular health

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Nick Schellinger, director of business development at Garmong Construction in Indianapolis, raised more than $250,000 in seven weeks as part of the American Heart Association’s Leaders of Impact™ campaign. The total was the second-highest amount raised by an individual in the country.

 Schellinger, 42, suffered a stroke in November 2023. While picking up his twin sons from daycare, Schellinger started experiencing numbness on the right side of his body. As the numbness spread, he knew he needed to get to the hospital.

 “I knew what was happening and was scared,” Schellinger recalled. “I quickly decided to advocate for myself and insisted to the emergency room desk staff that I was having a stroke. All feeling from head to toe on the right side of my body was gone. A nurse overhead me and asked me to smile. When it was clear I could not smile, I was taken back into the ER immediately, where I received scans and soon after lost the ability to speak.”

 Schellinger was treated immediately and was released a week later with no lasting effects.

 “I owe my success story to the fact that I am in construction and have attended countless safety training classes, and I knew what was happening,” Schellinger said. “I knew time was of the essence and I got to a hospital. I demanded to be seen. I knew what to do and advocated for myself. Many in this world do not, and many are not as lucky as I was. I now watch my health more closely and take proper precautions. But my list of action items doesn’t stop there. In fact, I believe my story has just begun.”

 Schellinger’s company participates in the American Heart Association’s Hard Hats with Heart program, which provides resources about heart disease, stroke, healthy living and more.

 “I was honored to be nominated for this program and have the opportunity to make an incredible impact for the AHA, the communities in which we live and those we love and cherish,” Schellinger said.

 The seven-week “Leaders of Impact” campaign concluded Dec. 4. Community leaders in more than 60 cities participated in the campaign to drive equitable cardiovascular health in their communities, collectively raising more than $4 million.

 Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S.1 In addition, an aging, more diverse population, along with a significant increase in heart disease and stroke risk factors among younger people are expected to nearly triple the nation’s price tag on cardiovascular disease (CVD) by 2050, according to new published projections from the American Heart Association. 

 “We’re incredibly proud of Nick and all of our nominees' steadfast efforts to help ensure everyone in Central Indiana has equitable opportunities for a longer, healthier life,” said Amanda Mills, executive director of the American Heart Association in Indianapolis. “By ensuring access to quality healthcare and addressing health disparities we are strengthening our collective future, creating a healthier, more vibrant community for generations to come.”