A Heart Grows in Ottawa
Ottawa has no shortage of community spirit, but few gestures are quite as visible — or as literally large — as the massive heart Mike Herzog has been mowing into a field near his home. What began as a quiet act of love during the pandemic has blossomed into a full-on fundraising campaign for one of Canada's top cardiac research centres.
It Started With a Walk
Back when COVID lockdowns had everyone searching for safe ways to stay active, Herzog carved out a walking path in the shape of a heart on his property — a small, sweet gift to his wife so she could get outside and move. The couple walked that path together through the uncertainty of the pandemic, and something about it stuck.
As the years passed, Herzog kept mowing the heart. Neighbours noticed. Passersby slowed down. People started asking questions. And eventually, Herzog decided to put the attention to good use.
Mowing for a Cause
Herzog has since turned his giant grass heart into a fundraiser for the University of Ottawa Heart Institute — a world-class facility that serves thousands of cardiac patients in Ottawa and across the region every year. The visual impact of the enormous mowed design, best seen from above or at a distance, has helped draw attention to the cause and encouraged donations from locals who've been charmed by the story.
It's the kind of grassroots (literally) initiative that reminds Ottawa residents why community fundraising matters. The Heart Institute performs life-saving surgeries, conducts cutting-edge cardiac research, and supports patients and families navigating some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Ottawa's Softer Side
Stories like Herzog's are a reminder that Ottawa, often stereotyped as a stiff government town, has a genuinely warm and creative community underneath. From chalk art on the Rideau Canal pathway to neighbourhood mutual aid networks, Ottawans have a long history of turning personal gestures into collective good.
Herzog's heart fits right into that tradition. It didn't start with a plan to go viral or raise thousands of dollars — it started with one man wanting to make his wife smile during a hard time. The fundraising came later, organically, because people responded to the sincerity of it.
How to Support
If you're inspired by Mike Herzog's mowing mission, consider making a donation to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation. Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of death in Canada, and local fundraising efforts like this one make a real difference in research and patient care right here in the capital.
And if you happen to drive past a field and spot an enormous grassy heart — now you know the story behind it.
Source: Ottawa Citizen. Read the original story.
