Kaylee and Danielle found something magical at the Ronald McDonald House®
Kaylee and Danielle both had to go through the unimaginable.
They were pregnant at the same time, and both of their babies were born prematurely. Baby Ezekiel, Danielle’s son, was born at 32 weeks and was admitted to the hospital with an infection, as well as a condition that required surgery. Baby Alessandra, Kaylee’s daughter, was born at 25 weeks!
Both moms were so relieved that they could stay at the Ronald McDonald House so they wouldn’t have to be far from their babies. They both loved that they didn’t have to worry about meals and laundry. But they never expected to find each other.
The importance of community became clear to both of them when Kaylee was having a particularly difficult day. Danielle, recognizing the pain and heartache that come with having a child in the hospital, approached Kaylee to offer her some comfort.
“ We’re able to talk easy and open ... It really does help immensely.”
"I think she recognized I was having a really bad day, really emotional, and she came over and approached me and was like, ‘One day at a time. Take it slow. One day at a time,’” says Kaylee. “So she’s just been a support person for me and vice versa. It’s different than finding somebody to talk to on your walk or on the streets, or even at the church or wherever you’re from, because not everybody can relate to what you’re going through, but here they can.”
“We all have somebody that is either sick or hurt, or just crazy birth stories,” Danielle adds. “We all just kind of have a common denominator between us. So, we’re able to talk easily and openly. We’ve all got paddles in the same boat. We’re all going the same direction, and it’s nice.”
