SARASOTA – President of Avenues Recruiting Solutions, Aaron Thompson, is an active triathlete, despite the cards he was dealt at birth.
“I was born with a hole in my aorta; I have a bicuspid left ventricle,” Thompson said.
It was found when he was just ten days old, and that same day, he had his first surgery. Then he had his second at two years old, his third at seven, and his fourth at fifteen.
“Heart surgery’s been a major part of my life,” Thompson said. “Now 37 years old, it’s obviously something I’ve dealt with my whole entire life.”
He says the most major surgery was his most recent one, 22 years ago, when he was in high school.
“Technology had advanced so much that they were able to really do a pretty extensive surgery at that time,” Thompson said. “It allowed me to go on and play sports at a higher level.”
He went on to play baseball in college, and he lives the healthiest lifestyle he can.
“I compete in IRONMAN’s to hopefully inspire train, and develop relationships with families and kids, so they can hopefully see a healthy lifestyle is still available for them,” Thompson said.
He’s turning his life’s challenges into physical goals because it’s made him who he is today.
“I’d like to believe it’s never gonna happen again, but the reality is there’s no guarantees,” Thompson said, “but I’m grateful for it. It’s allowed me to do many things I’m able to do now.”