When your child lives with a chronic illness, life becomes a constant balancing act — between doctor’s appointments, treatments, and the everyday effort of holding it all together. My son Gray was born with VACTERL association, a rare cluster of birth defects that affects multiple systems in the body. It’s overwhelming, unpredictable, and something no parent is ever prepared for.

Back home in Minnesota, we quickly realized that the specialized care Gray needed simply wasn’t available — especially when it came to colorectal specialists. Over and over, one name kept coming up: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Everyone said the same thing: That’s the place. That’s where he needs to be. So, in 2021, we made our first trip. Each year, we stayed a week or two. But this year was different. This year, we were here for a full month. And it was hard.

The Ronald McDonald House wasn’t just a place to stay — it was our safe haven. A place that gave us comfort, community and care when we needed it most. For Gray, it was a chance to just be a kid. He lit up when he found other children like him to play with at the park. He found joy in the art room, and peace in the routine of something that felt like home. For me, it was a place to breathe. To recharge. To stop worrying about hotel costs or logistics and just focus on being a mom.

And even during the holidays — when it’s easy to feel the sting of being far from home — the Ronald McDonald House made it special. Decorations, meals, small surprises — they thought of everything. They reminded us we weren’t alone. That we were seen. That we were cared for.

Because of them, we were able to stay close to Gray during one of the most difficult chapters of his journey. Because of them, we didn’t feel like strangers in a strange city — we felt like family.

The Ronald McDonald House wasn’t just a place to sleep. It was home. A beacon of hope when things felt heavy. And for that, I’ll always be grateful.

With love and gratitude,

Abygayl