It is February 2005. Eight-year-old Colby Groom, just having been informed he must undergo his second open-heart surgery in a 10-month period to replace his failing bicuspid aortic valve, is hiding behind his family’s couch. “I wasn’t very good at hiding,” he recalled.

   After undergoing the second, this time, successful surgery, Groom suffered with a 12- month depression, due to being physically and socially behind the other kids. This caused a very low self-esteem. At the end of this period Groom’s sister suggested that he begin to help with the American Heart Association.

   As he volunteered more and more with different charities, he began to feel a sense of belonging and confidence that he hadn’t felt since before the surgery. He then suggested to his dad, who is in the wine-making business, that they start making a wine together. When the wine was ready to be sold, Groom asked his dad if they could donate the profits to heart charities. Because, as Groom said, “ I don’t want people to go through what I did.”

   The wine, named “Colby Red,” was a big success along with the charity, landing Groom on the Today Show for his hard work and great accomplishments. This charity and involvement helped Groom climb out of depression and slowly helped him return to his formal self, life, and friends. So, in a poignant way, by helping others who were suffering from the things he did, he inevitably helped himself.

   So far Groom has raised over 300,000 dollars for research to fight heart disease. Most of this money goes to the American Heart Association. The money that was raised tends to go back to the place it was raised. The main way Groom raises money is through wine sales, but he also goes places and gives speeches, getting donations that way. He doesn’t just raise money, however; he is also active in the community. Recently, he went to the Children’s Heart Disease Wing of the UC Davis hospital on Valentine’s Day, handing out gifts to the kids there. People whose children are going through a health situation similar to Groom’s can get in contact with Groom or his dad. He and his dad help talk them through and help them cope with the horrible experience and circumstances. Groom even sometimes skypes kids to help them though the ordeal.

   Now that Groom has successfully faced and overcome this huge hurdle in his life, Groom has plans for the future. He plans to go to college somewhere in Seattle and get into politics. He also said that he plans on continuing to produce Colby Red, raising money for hearts around the world.