Tulsa Mother Starts Nonprofit To Give AEDs And CPR Training To Families

A Tulsa mom has turned heartbreak into a way to help others.

After losing her daughter to heart disease, Stephanie Janét said she wants to give families the tools and training they need for life-saving emergencies.

The 38-year-old mother shared with News On 6 pictures and a video of her late daughter, Makayla Gray, who had a beautiful smile and zest for life.

In the video, Makayla said, "You are the boss of you. Don't let anyone tell you what to be or not to be. You're strong."

Janét said Makayla was a young warrior.

"She had the battle wounds, and she had the fight in her,” said Janét.

Janét said Makayla was born with complete heart block, which made her heart beat slow and at an unreliable rhythm.

Makayla was in and out of the hospital and relied on a pacemaker, then got a heart transplant at seven years old. Makayla died at just 12.

That is when Janét came up with the idea to start a nonprofit called the Mighty Heart Warrior Project.

Its mission: Get families with children who have heart disease an AED and CPR training.

"Because the regret of not being trained better and not having a defibrillator in my home was upon me, I couldn't go back and change it,” said Janét.

The charity is hosting a nighttime shotgun scramble golf tournament on July 20 at LaFortune Park Golf Course with a lesson, dinner and drinks, yard games, an auction and raffles.

Janét has also been fundraising through her online boutique called Try My Hardest, a phrase tattooed on her arm in Makayla's handwriting.

"When I found her agenda from that year, on her to-do list she had written ‘Try my hardest’ every week, over and over, and so, that got me off the floor, and it was a kick in the butt that I'm not done yet,” said Janét.

July 16 is the deadline to register for the golf tournament.

For more information about the event or to buy merchandise to help with fundraising efforts, go to trymyhardest.com.