Fam ily P rof i l e :
Wilber Family
Home: Ava, MO (Douglas County) I wish I could put into words just what the Ronald McDonald House program has done for me and my family. Even now, just recalling the experience stirs up so many tender and overwhelming feelings of gratitude and love. On September 25, 2016, we went in to the hospital for what we imagined would be a fairly normal birth of our child. We knew she was to be a girl. We had six boys and a little girl at home who were anxiously awaiting their little sister. As soon as she was born, it was a fight for her life, and over the course of the next month and a half, the needs of our family instantly became very different. The Ronald McDonald house provided us a close and safe place for me to be near our daughter and have our other children able to come for visits, as it was necessary for me to live near her while she needed to be hospitalized. It was an incredible comfort to have necessities available; and the generosity, sincerity, and genuine kindness of the staff and volunteers was an experience I will never forget. Our family and friends were able to visit and were welcomed with activity and play areas for our family to enjoy some needed relaxing time together. There were always kind volunteers with home cooked meals served, and my children and family were welcomed and comforted through our difficult time. They eased our burden and offered us a “home away from home� during a time of great need. I had no idea what capacity the Ronald McDonald House served until my life was touched so intimately and generously by this incredible program. We will forever be changed and touched by this inspiring experience!
www.ShareAHeart.org