“My granddaughter said to me, ‘Papa, are you gonna be around when I get married?’
“I said, ‘I promise you, yes.’”
It was a simple promise Jimmy Ramos made years ago, long before he had any reason to believe he could ever break it. He felt fine. No pain, no symptoms, no reason to think otherwise.
As a U.S. Army veteran, Jimmy’s used to showing up for others. But he didn’t know about the silent risk in his heart that could have changed everything.
The Wake-Up Call
A few years later, Jimmy was using the Hello Heart app to track his blood pressure, and he saw a red stripe on the screen along with a message telling him to call his doctor.
He made the call, and what he learned shocked him.
Doctors found what they call the widowmaker—a severe artery blockage that can be fatal without immediate care.
“If it wasn’t for the indication on the [Hello Heart] device,” Jimmy says quietly, “I don’t know if I’d be here today.”
Six Years Strong
Today, almost six years later, Jimmy is still tracking his numbers and logging his medications with Hello Heart.
He spoke at Hello Heart’s company offsite last year, and gave the audience this reminder: “Don’t wait for something to happen before you start learning how to take care of yourself.”
Jimmy has turned that lesson into a daily habit. Every reading, every check-in, every note he logs is a quiet act of discipline. The same kind of steady commitment that carried him through his years in uniform.
He went on to share how his VA doctors appreciate that he can show them everything —medications, blood pressure readings, and notes—all in one place.
“It helps them help you,” he shared. “It’s about being consistent.”
That consistency has become his superpower. Every reading, every note, every small decision to check his numbers: they’re all ways of keeping that promise, one day at a time.
The Power of Staying the Course
Jimmy’s commitment to his heart health is part of a pattern we’re seeing across the Hello Heart community. According to internal data and research:
- More than 60% of people continue to use Hello Heart after the first year
- Adults 65 and older show 45% higher engagement than younger users
- Participants with high blood pressure see an average 21 mmHg improvement in systolic pressure over three years
Jimmy’s story reminds us that these aren’t just numbers, but real outcomes for veterans and their families. Every cardiac event prevented is a story like his: a life improved and a hospital visit avoided.
And heart attack and stroke prevention is especially important for veterans:
- Nearly 50% of U.S. veterans in VA care live with cardiovascular disease
- 48% have high blood pressure, often without symptoms
When veterans maintain healthy heart habits, they can reduce their risk of heart attack, stroke, or death by up to 75%, according to the VA’s Million Veteran Program
With digital heart health programs like Hello Heart’s, we can help veterans like Jimmy stay well enough to keep the promises that matter most. See how Hello Heart works.
1. Gazit T, Gutman M, Beatty AL. Assessment of Hypertension Control Among Adults Participating in a Mobile Technology Blood Pressure Self-management Program. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(10):e2127008, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.27008. Accessed October 19, 2022. (Some study authors are employed by Hello Heart. Because of the observational nature of the study, causal conclusions cannot be made. See additional important study limitations in the publication. This study showed that 108 participants with baseline blood pressure over 140/90 who had been enrolled in the program for 3 years and had application activity during weeks 148-163 were able to reduce their blood pressure by 21 mmHg using the Hello Heart program.) (2) Livongo Health, Inc. Form S-1 Registration Statement. https:/www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1639225/000119312519185159/d731249ds1.htm. Published June 28, 2019. Accessed October 19, 2022. (In a pilot study that lasted six weeks, individuals starting with a blood pressure of greater than 140/90 mmHg, on average, had a 10 mmHG reduction.) NOTE: This comparison is not based on a head-to-head study, and the difference in results may be due in part to different study protocols.
2. Validation Institute. 2021 Validation Report (Valid Through October 2022). https://validationinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Hello_Heart-Savings-2021- Final.pdf. Published October 2021. Accessed October 19, 2022. (This analysis was commissioned by Hello Heart, which provided a summary report of self-fundedemployer client medical claims data for 203 Hello Heart users and 200 non-users from 2017-2020. Findings have not been subjected to peer review.)
