I’m still working through the publishing process. My pitch and proposal are written, and I intended to approach small publishers directly, but I have changed my mind and am now searching for an agent. During the course of this search, I discovered that Sylvester Stallone has a child with CHD, as he wrote a forward to a book about CHD. This brought me to a search for famous people with CHD. I discovered this fascinating list, compiled by another heart mom (also named Jennifer – we’re everywhere!), and I wanted to share it here. This is the list as well as the direct link to her blog (I have not changed the list at all):

http://anotherchdjourney.blogspot.com/p/famous-people-with-chd.html

“Famous People with a Congenital Heart Defect

• Shaun White – Olympic Snowboarder (Tetralogy of Fallot)
• Mark “Fight Shark” Miller – MMA Fighter/Kickboxer (Aortic Stenosis)
• Joe Strummer(21 August 1952 – 22 December 2002) – Clash front man, passed away due to undiagnosed CHD at 50.
• John Glascock(2 May 1951 – 17 November 1979) – base guitarist, Jethro Tull. Died at 28 from CHD complications.
• Max Page –  Child Actor and Darth Vader in VW Superbowl Ad (Tetralogy of Fallot)
• Tedy Bruschi – Former Patriots linebacker and ESPN Commentator (Atrial Septal Defect)
• John Ritter(September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003) – Actor, passed away due to undiagnosed Congenital Heart Defect
• Paul Cardall – Pianist, Complex CHD/Heart Transplant (Paul has a great CHD Blog at http://mytricuspidatresia.blogspot.com)
• Brian Littrell – Member of the Backstreet Boys (Ventricular Septal Defect)
• Jessie J – Singer (Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome)
• Bret Michaels – Lead Singer: Poison (Atrial Septal Defect)
• Carroll Shelby – automotive designer, racing driver and entrepreneur (Unspecified congenital heart valve disease)
• Steve Hutchinson – Pro Football Player (Tennessee Titans-Guard) (Unspecified Heart Defect)
• Damon Daniel Weber – actor (Deadwood) Father wrote a book about his passing from CHD post transplant called “Immortal Bird“.  (Hypoplasia, possible HRHS)
• Corey Smoot – Musician (Flattus Maximus in GWAR). Passed away suddenly due to previously undiagnosed congenital heart defect. (Unspecified coronary heart defect)
• Robby Benson – Actor/Director and author of medical memoir “I’m not dead…Yet!” detailing his life with CHD. (Bicuspid Aortic Valve)
• Kirk Urso – Professional Soccer Player with the Columbus Crew. Passed away in 8/2012 from undiagnosed unspecified CHD.
• Kat Edorsson – Reality TV (Survivor). (Unspecified CHD, 2 OHS’s)
• Jimmy Osmond – Musician. (Atrial Septal Defect) (* three of his brothers, two of his nephews, and his daughter were also found to have ASD)
• John Fox – Denver Broncos Coach. (CHD – Nonspecific Aortic Valve)
• Whitney Duncan – American Country Music Artist, contestant on television show “Survivor”. (Atrial Septal Defect)
• Mark O’Shea – Country Music artist and one half of the award-winning married country duo “O’Shea“. The duo incorporated heart kids into their video for “Thank you, Angels” (Tetralogy of Fallot)

Famous Heart Parents with CHD Kids

• Bret Baier – Fox New Anchor (Son with d-transposition of the great vessels)
• Sylvester Stallone – Actor (Daughter with Ventricular Septal Defect)
• Katherine Heigl– Actress (Daughter with CHD)
• Matt Hammitt – Lead Singer of Sanctus Real (Son with hypoplastic left heart syndrome)
• Senator Ron Johnson – Junior Senator (Republican) from Wisconsin (Daughter with Transposition of the Great Arteries)
• Roger Rosenblatt – an American journalist, author, playwright and teacher. His book Making Toast, details losing his daughter Amy to an undiagnosed/asymptomatic CHD and the aftermath of her death.
• Tom Riles – Warm Up Entertainer for the Ellen show (Daughter with CHD)
• Charles Tillman – Chicago Bears (Daughter with Cardiomyopathy)
• Mark Feuerstein – actor, “Royal Pains” (Daughter with  ALCAPA)
• Greg Olsen – Carolina Panthers tight end (Son with hypoplastic left heart syndrome)
• Aaron Shust – American Contemporary Christian Music artist (Son with CHD)

Please note this is a list of people that are in the public eye for something other than Congenital Heart Defects.

This specific list is only for those people who are in the public eye for something other than CHD but who also happen to be a heart parent or a CHD Survivor.”