Family Stories

Ronald McDonald House families travel the furthest for care and spend the longest time in the hospital. Every three weeks for more than a year, the Grayson family has made the five-hour trip from Mobile to Birmingham for Jarvas Jr.’s care. Jarvas, 16, lives with sickle cell disease, diabetes and a vascular disorder called Moyamoya…

The following story was written by Stephanie Pickens about her family’s recent stay at the Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham. When we received the news that our son Asher would be transported to the UAB NICU, four hours away from home, we were overwhelmed and scared. We kept thinking, where would we stay for such…

For our 40th anniversary month, we wanted to share a special story that represents the decades-long impact RMHCA has made on families. We’re proud to bring you Jana’s Journey, written by her mom Lisa VanZandt. Hi, my name is Lisa and I am a former guest, volunteer and a current employee at the Ronald McDonald…

Each year, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama helps hundreds of families stay together when they need it most. One of those families, the Chapmans, shared their story of hope, struggle, and how they decided to give back. Bryon and Hannah Chapman of Remlap, Alabama are both teachers and coaches at Southeastern School. On August…

They say a mother’s intuition is never wrong; this proved particularly true for the Carter family. One morning early in her third trimester, mom-to-be Sarah Carter began feeling unwell and knew she needed to get to the doctor. After a round of tests, she was diagnosed with HELLP, a serious syndrome which raised major concerns…

A mom wants nothing more than to have her family all together, especially on Mother’s Day. Every day of the year, the mission of the Ronald McDonald House is to give mothers like Caitlyn Rigsbee that wish. She and her husband Dustin are parents to three children and the newest addition to their family, Oakley,…

Mother’s Day is a time to thank the mothers in our lives for their unconditional love and support. It’s also a time for us to celebrate the unending strength and determination a mother has in taking care of her children, especially when they are sick or injured. Kaley Plunkett and her mom Dorinda Littrell have…

  Last fall, Aaron and Erika Parks of Dothan received news that would change their lives: they were having a girl! There was just one little difference:  the Parks had waited years to adopt and now they needed to get on a plane to go get their new addition! So they left their older children…

Globally, more than 40% of Ronald McDonald House families have a premature baby. Your support means so much to these new parents who are facing so many challenges and the scariest one of all is figuring out how to stay close to their baby fighting in the NICU. Read more about one of the families…

This Thursday, we’re highlighting the Karr family and their efforts to give back to the charity after a stay with us last year. Read more from Brooke Karr on their experience at the Ronald McDonald House! Tell me a little bit about how your family came to stay at the Ronald McDonald House. We were…

 Ma’kailyn Phillips-Betton isn’t quite 2-years-old yet but she’s fought through more than some adults. She was born with two heart defects and spent the first three months of her life in the hospital in Birmingham. As you could imagine, it was stressful and scary for her mother, Chiquita, to see her daughter that sick while…

Eboni and Emanuel Stephens truly know how much uncertainty, hope and joy families at the Ronald McDonald House go through. In February of 2015, they found themselves scrambling to make arrangements when their twins, Emery and Emanuel Jr. were born prematurely. After the twins were admitted to the NICU at Brookwood Hospital, traveling every day…

Three-year-old Geonni Johnson has a huge heart and lots of spirit. Her mom says Geonni likes won’t say goodbye to you without lots of hugs and kisses first! So her parents knew something was wrong this past summer when that spirit started to flag. The family had been out of town for Labor Day weekend…

In late July, most families are caught up in the back to school rush. In the Leverett household, mom Vanessa had no peace of mind. Her 6-year-old son, Christian, was about to enter the first grade but Vanessa noticed a strange knot on the back of his head. Something was telling her this was wrong…

Baby Jasper is a miracle. His mother, Alisha, thought she would never be able to carry a child of her own due to several health issues. She got the surprise of her life when she was at the ER earlier this year for a different reason. “One night I had a cold and went to…