Join us at the PFF Walk!
Walking together toward a cure
The PFF Walk is for everyone. Whether you are a patient living with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) or interstitial lung disease (ILD), have received a lung transplant, or are a caregiver, family member, friend, or healthcare professional, the PFF Walk celebrates you and your work toward our shared goal: finding a cure.
For Team Empanada Man, this walk is deeply personal.
We’re walking in honor of Hector Aberastury — husband, dad of four, grandpa of six, and great-grandpa of three. Hector was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and when he came to the United States with his wife Stella, they started a small empanada business that eventually grew into something much bigger. Around St. Charles, many people simply knew him as “the empanada man.”
In 2021, Hector was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive lung disease with no cure. In early 2025, we had to say goodbye.
That’s why we’re participating in the PFF Walk and raising funds for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF). The PFF supports patients and caregivers, advances critical research, and helps bring us closer to better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
Every step taken and every dollar raised helps move that progress forward.
If you’re able, we would love for you to join our team, donate, or simply share Hector’s story.
Click the “Join Our Team!” button to walk with us or start your own fundraising page.
Your support powers progress in the search for a cure. Learn more at PFFWalk.org and pulmonaryfibrosis.org.
Thank you for helping us honor Hector and walk toward a future without pulmonary fibrosis.