George Washington III

A Transformation

from Heart Patient – to Heart Champion

Having endured incredible losses and health setbacks in 2020, heart champion George Washington III turned his experience of surviving and recovering from a heart attack into an opportunity to lend his voice to a cause near and dear to his heart – the cardiac rehabilitation program at Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute. After losing his father to COVID-19 last summer and then battling the virus himself for three brutal weeks, the newlywed and avid runner had his eye on the future and better days to come. Then George’s heart health took an unexpected turn. Though he didn’t fit the profile of someone at risk to have heart problems, the severe chest pain he experienced one morning last September made it clear to George: he was having a heart attack. George's decision to act quickly and call 911, followed by the care he received at Atrium Health, saved his life.

Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute’s cardiac rehabilitation program, which helped restore George's health, gave him the rewarding opportunity to help shine a light on heart health and the importance of giving back. This February, the professional voice actor lent his talent to the Cupid’s Cup Virtual 5K as the official heart champion for the cause in 2021. “There is a camaraderie there and the safety and observation of what you're doing,” George shared about his experience in cardiac rehab. “I have tools. I know what I have to do. I know who I have to reach out to so I can stay moving forward.”

Heart champion George Washington III is a full-time, professional voice actor. A national talent, George has worked with producers of television, radio, audiobooks, animation, and much more. This February George lent his voice to a new cause – the Cupid’s Cup 5K.