LOS ANGELES — Retired LA Kings player and current radio analyst Daryl Evans and St. John’s Medical Center cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Kathy Magliato were honored at the 11th Annual American Heart Association Go Red for Women luncheon. The special event was held inside the Globe Theatre at Universal Studios Hollywood on Thursday, May 7.
NBC4 News Anchor Colleen Williams served as the emcee for the afternoon. She shared a personal story of her own with the audience.
“My grandfather died of a massive heart attack in his ’50s,” Williams admitted. “I never really got to know him. My father had bypass surgery 17 years ago. I remember the day the doctor came out and told the family, ‘Everything went well, but his heart is OK.’ I thought that was a strange way to put it. I started to do a little research. If your heart is intact, chances are everything else works well. There was no damage to my dad’s heart and everything else has been working well since then.”
She added: “Heart attacks kill women too. We really don’t hear about it very often. Women don’t get that pain in their chest. They don’t get the sore jaw, the pain in the arm, shortness of breath. You know, I think about those symptoms and it’s kind of like breaking news at 11 o’clock every single night.”
Los Angeles Kings play-by-play announcer Bob Miller presented the inaugural “King of Hearts” award to former Kings left wing and current radio analyst, Daryl Evans. Evans scored one of the most memorable goals in franchise history in a game known as the “Miracle on Manchester.” He hosts a weekly Kings run club called “Fit to be King” and donates $100 to the American Heart Association each time the Kings score a power play goal during the regular season and the playoffs.
“I feel truly honored to be here today,” Evans said. “I’m directly connected to the heart association because there are heart procedures that my mom had done a number of years ago. Because of the magic that was done by the doctors there, and the knowledge and research created by the American Heart Association, my mother now lives the best part of her life in the best quality of life. It’s been more than 10 years since she had her surgery and she’s in great physical shape. Bob Miller mentioned Fit to be a King. It’s great to be able to go out there. We’ve got people with triple bypass surgeries. They started out as walkers, they are now runners, four or five miles per week.”
Child-nutrition activist and philanthropist co-founder Kelly Meyer presented the “Queen of Hearts” award to St. John’s Medical Center heart surgeon Dr. Kathy Magliato. She is currently developing a Multidisciplinary Women’s Heart Center to address the cardiac needs of female patients. Dr. Magliato’s memoir “Heart Matters” was published in Feburary 2010 and is currently being produced as a medical drama pilot for NBC. She was the first women to hold the position of President of the Board of the Greater LA County American Heart Association.
“I am so honored to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the American Heart Association,” Meyer said. “This organization goes out everyday and fights the fight against heart disease. That’s what it is–it is a battle to fight heart disease. Thank you for the incredible honor from the AHA. It’s a pleasure to serve you. It really, truly is. My fellow honoree, Daryl Evans, I’m rocking the red stilettos. I want to be very clear with you that you are the King of Hearts and I am the Queen.”
Meyer co-founded the AHA Teaching Gardens program, which allows students in first grader through fifth to plant seeds, nurture growing plants, harvest produce and ultimately understand the value of good eating habits. Garden-themed lessons teach nutrition, math, science and other subjects all while having fun in the fresh air and working with your hands.
“I am just honored to be here with people who started on the ground with me, digging in the dirt and making this possible,” Meyer said. “We’re lucky to be a part of the Ford Go Further campaign and share our story in that way. I’m most grateful for the American Heart Association for adopting our program as a way to talk about the importance of prevention and educate our young people about health. Being healthy at a young age is one of the most significant ways to fight not only heart disease, but also diabetes, hypertension, as well as sleep apnea and asthma.”
The event also featured a fashion show, silent auction, photo opportunities, make up station, educational booths and more.
For more information about the Go Red for Women luncheon, visit www.goredforwomen.org.
WATCH >> Highlights of the Go Red for Women Luncheon in L.A.