The Ronald McDonald House made our Christmas special during one of the hardest seasons of our lives.
I never imagined that our first Christmas as a family of five would be spent hours away from home. I also never imagined that two weeks after bringing Annalise home, our newly adopted baby girl would be fighting for her life.
December 19th, 2018 is the day our world came crashing down. We found ourselves being rushed to Birmingham from Dothan as Annalise had fallen critically ill. Before I knew it, she was being stabilized and put on a ventilator. At just 12 weeks old, she was fighting pneumonia and a blood infection … I can’t tell you how scared we were for our precious new baby.
We were given a room at the Ronald McDonald House the day we arrived. It was a huge sigh of relief realizing our family didn’t have to endure the trauma of being apart during such a scary time. We were able to focus on Annalise’s care, while also giving our sons Connor (7) and Elan (3) the attention they needed.
I cannot put into words what it meant to us to have a place to call “home” – especially during the holidays. The Ronald McDonald House provided so much more than just a place to sleep.    Â
Our family will never forget Christmas morning in that private sitting room – there was even a decorated tree! Later that night, we enjoyed a beautiful Christmas dinner. These small but meaningful comforts of home helped us find hope and joy during a very stressful time.
In total, we spent 22 nights at the Ronald McDonald House as Annalise improved and overcame her illnesses. It was a tough Christmas for sure, but being at the Ronald McDonald House made a hard situation much easier.
Aaron and I think about it often; how grateful we are that others chose to give at such a trying time for us emotionally and financially. It was truly a “Christmas
miracle” having our family together at the Ronald McDonald House!
This year, we’ll be in Dothan for Christmas, but I know there will be many families like ours at the House in need of the same support we received. You’ll never
truly know how priceless your gift can be!
Gratefully,
The Parks Family
There are are 73 families for whom “home for the holidays” will have a different meaning this year. The families in our care may be far from home, but won’t have to be far from family with YOUR help.
Please make this another hope-filled holiday season for the families we serve. Your gift will go to work immediately to provide the comfort and support they so desperately need. Please give!
