A few have asked if we could share our "speech" from the Gala, so without further ado...
(Kim)
My husband and I feel incredibly honored to be here tonight. The Ronald McDonald House holds such a special place in our hearts and we consider it a joy and a privilege to share with you our story, our love for the House, and how your support offers relief and hope to families like ours with children facing a medical crisis.
Our son, Stephen, was born with a very rare, and complex, life threatening heart defect. A series of three open heart surgeries (2 of which he has had) are needed to survive. Stephen underwent his first surgery at Rady Children’s Hospital at just 9 days old, and his second at 4 months.
I will never forget the day we found out about Stephen’s condition. In one moment my entire world came crashing down. It is hard to describe to you in words what it feels like to hear this news about your child. It is more awful... it is heart breaking. To hear that he had 70% chance to make it through childhood and would almost certainly need a heart transplant when he reached adulthood was more than this mommy’s heart could handle.
(Joe)
The hardest days were still ahead. Physically handing over your child and placing their life in someone else’s hands is very difficult. It was almost unbearable knowing all he would have to suffer and endure and not be able to take any of it away from him. As a father every part of me wished I could have traded places with my son and suffered instead of him. During those hardest times we clung to our faith and each other and chose hope over despair. Stephen spent his first 26 days in the hospital, and during that time we turned to the Ronald McDonald House to meet our basic needs and so much more.
The House blessed our family through a very difficult time. From the moment we walked in they went above and beyond to make our family feel supported and loved...but mostly relieved. Stephen has three older siblings and when we first arrived at the House the staff blessed them with welcome gifts, and for a brief moment, seeing our other kids so full of joy helped ease the difficult situation we had just entered. A simple gift and a smiling volunteer can go a long way in taking your mind off your child’s situation.
When you are away from the comforts of home for an extended period of time, it’s nice to have a comfortable bed to sleep in, a place to shower, and a home-cooked meal a minute away from the stress of the hospital room. The Ronald McDonald House truly provided our family a "home away from home". However, beyond the physical needs it provides peace of mind, relief and support. It took the burden off of our family from having to travel to be with our child. With our son in the hospital we didn’t want to leave his side, let alone drive back and forth to rest or eat. Staying at the Ronald McDonald House put us steps away from Stephen and for that we were extremely grateful.
The House also provided a place for our family to be a family. It was difficult being torn between our children. We wanted to be spend every waking moment with Stephen in the hospital but also wanted, and needed, to be with Michael, Lizzie and Audrey. The Ronald McDonald House provided a place for our family to be together. Kim and I got to play with our kids, to laugh, smile and recharge before heading back to the reality that awaited us in our sons hospital room. Our children loved coming to the house, and still do to this day.
(Kim)
The Ronald McDonald House is a tremendous asset to our community yet most people don’t know about this amazing charity until like our family, they find themselves in need of it. It provides a much needed service for families going through a crisis and is largely run on volunteers. We were so touched by the volunteers and staff at the Ronald McDonald House, and beyond grateful for all they did for us, that we have returned multiple times each year to serve meals, bring gifts and celebrate Stephen’s Birthdays. We desire to pass on that warm meal, that feeling of relief, that smile of joy, and that glimpse of hope to the many families that turn each year to the Ronald McDonald House while their children are bravely battling in the hospital.
Stephen is now almost 2 1/2 years old. He is a bright eyed handsome little boy who is so full of joy and has a smile that lights up a room. He is our heart Hero and the strongest little kid we know. He has had 2 surgeries and needs at least 1 more before he turns 5. When that time comes we are grateful to know that we can again turn to the Ronald McDonald House to help see our family through it.
The road has not been easy but I am grateful that through all of the trials we have found joy and have witnessed so much beauty come from so much pain . Ours is just one of many similar stories of a child hospitalized with a serious illnesses and a family that finds themselves needing a home away from home. Thank you for being here tonight and for supporting a special place that it close to our hearts.
