CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mikie Mahtook is a center fielder for the Charlotte Knights. He was affected by heart disease at a young age. 

What You Need To Know

September 29 marks World Heart Day recognizing heart health

Charlotte Knights center fielder Mikie Mahtook lost his father to heart disease 

He created a nonprofit in honor of his father and in his name

Wednesday is World Heart Day, an international recognition of the world’s leading cause of death. Heart disease claims more than 18 million lives each year.

Mahtook’s dad was a football player at LSU, the same school where his son played baseball, but his dad never got a chance to see him play. Mahtook’s dad, also Mikie Mahtook, died when he was 4 years old.  

“He was actually playing tennis. He had a virus. He had no idea. He had hardly any symptoms. It attacked his heart, and he dropped on the tennis court and instantly passed away,” Mahtook said. 

According to the CDC, heart disease is the second-leading cause of death in North Carolina after cancer. 

With so many risk factors leading to heart disease, Mahtook made it his mission to create a nonprofit focusing on heart health and getting tested. 

“If he would’ve gotten screened, maybe they would’ve seen those abnormalities,” he said.

He created the Mikie Mahtook Foundation in his honor of his father. 

“We would like to take that money and start screening younger athletes and try to prevent the tragedies that happened with my dad. My mission for this foundation is to be able to bring awareness,” he said. 

On his next birthday Mahtook will be the same age his father was when he passed.

He says he hopes to continue expanding the foundation, getting testing and spreading heart health to as many people as possible. 

“Eventually I would like to have a huge bus and have EKGs and be able to go around and bring free testing to as many people as you can," he said.

For information on how to donate or upcoming events head to the website.