A grieving Bridgeport family is urging residents to practice regular medical care during American Heart Month. Elenor Bristol, 47, was a beloved member of the Bridgeport community. She and her life partner, Ricardo Simon, spent 18 years together working and raising their three young children. "Elenor was the light of our lives -- the oxygen we depended upon to get us through the day," Simon told News 12 Sunday. Bristol, who suffered from heart disease and type 2 diabetes, died suddenly and unexpectedly last week, her family says. "Now it's just us, me and the kids, and I don't know how we're going to carry on without her," Simon said. The family is sharing their story during American Heart Month to promote regular medical care for people who live with heart disease. "Black people are twice as likely to die from heart disease as white people. So it's doubly important that we monitor our health closely under the close supervision of a doctor, and that includes getting regular checkups and bloodwork," Simon said. The family started a GoFundMe to help with funeral expense.