Almost five years ago, Wollongong man Michael Williams was playing the first football game of the season with his two brothers when their dad collapsed at the side lines.
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The much-loved Kiama Football Club president, Darren Williams, had a heart attack and couldn't be revived, sending his family and community into shock over his sudden death at 55.
"I was talking to him 20 minutes before and everything was fine, and then all of a sudden he had a heart attack," Mr Williams said.
"He was very well-known in the community so it hit everyone pretty hard."
Since then, Michael and his family have thrown themselves into raising money and awareness about heart disease.
"Before dad died, I didn't know too much about heart disease and heart attacks," Ms Williams said.
"Even when the heart attack was happening, I didn't really know what was going on.
"He didn't smoke, he didn't drink any more than what most people do, he was a pretty healthy guy and he used to keep pretty active.
"I've just been trying to tell people that it takes 30 minutes at the doctors, and it can save your life."
After Darren's death, his family found out that he had blocked arteries and his sons now know they may be more susceptible to the same condition.
"I've got a strong chance of that happening to me when I'm older," he said.
"So it just means we have to be really aware of lifestyle, and be really active in getting checked to stay on top of it."
As part of this year's Red Feb, Mr Williams said he wanted people to know not to ignore the warning signs.
"I want people to know not to ignore the warning signs," he said.
"With dad, we found out after it all with the autopsy that he actually did have a couple of warning signs and ignored it.
"My mum remembered that a week earlier he woke up in the middle of the night with pains, but thought it would be fine, and just went back to bed.
"So it's those little warning signs, which most blokes would think 'they're nothing' - but it can cost you in the end so I just want to get people talking about it."
To encourage people to get talking, in 2021, the three Williams brothers grew out their hair and dyed it red with a perm for Red Feb, raising $13,500 for heart research.
The football club has also in the past had a Heart Research Australia game, or held a training day where everyone wears red, and earlier this month, they held a team run to raise $2500.
"Dad would be pretty embarrassed about all the attention, but also he probably would have hated knowing that he caused all this commotion," Mr Williams said.
"So I hope he'd be really proud of what we're doing."
CEO of Heart Research Australia Nicci Dent the organisation was encouraging people to invest in their heart health.
"The financial implications of heart disease are not just limited to medical costs," she said.
"Recovery from heart attacks often leads to lost wages, reduced work capacity, and hindered career advancement, due to the physical and mental effects of the condition."
Heart Research Australia is encouraging people to explore the free online Heart Hub, which has information on risk factors, improving your diet, embracing exercise, and stress reduction.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
