More than 500 people gathered at Al Lopez Park Saturday for the Tampa Congenital Heart Walk, making it the largest turnout in the event's history. The walk raised over $70,000 for critical research into America's most common birth defect. For Valentina Ocasio, the morning began with lighting a candle next to her son Santiago's photo. "On Christmas Eve Day, we got that dreaded call that all parents fear," she shared, her voice breaking. "We rushed to the hospital, and after about an hour of the doctors trying to get that pulse, he became an angel." Despite her loss, Ocasio was determined to participate. "He was no longer with us, but we still wanted to do this walk because we were going to do this walk with him," Ocasio said. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/hillsboroughcounty/tampa-bay-families-walk-honor-heart-angels-research-congenital-heart-defects/67-b4c04480-e31d-4f8c-b6c4-86fa69918126