ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke’s annual walk to benefit the American Heart Association could not happen as normal this year due to COVID-19, but people still supported the cause from a distance.
The city’s virtual heart walk, in which small groups walked their own courses at their own pace, took place Saturday morning.
The event raised more than $200,000 for heart health research throughout the year.
“It’s great seeing how so many people from so many walks of life come together for the same purpose,” said Jim Lull, who chaired Roanoke’s heart walk committee this year.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death nationwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 650,000 Americans die of heart disease every year.