When Misty and Rob first heard the words “your child has cancer,” their world stopped. It was March 2011, and their 17-month-old son, Kyler, had just been diagnosed with leukemia. Living in Montana, where there was no children’s hospital at the time, meant they had to make an impossible decision almost immediately. Their pediatrician recommended they go to Seattle for treatment, which was the best option if Kyler needed a bone marrow transplant.
Within hours, Rob and Kyler were on a plane to Seattle Children’s Hospital. Misty followed two days later, leaving behind their home, jobs, and everything familiar. “We had no idea what we were doing,” she remembers. “The social worker at Seattle Children’s told us to call the Ronald McDonald House, and by the time I arrived in Seattle, we already had a room.”
That first stay lasted nearly 11 months. The House quickly became their home base; a place where they could breathe between hospital visits, where meals and kindness were constants in a life turned upside down. “The meals were lifesavers,” Misty said. “When you’re exhausted and caring for your sick child, having dinner ready means the world.”
Over the next several years, Kyler relapsed twice. Each time, the family returned to the Ronald McDonald House, staying months at a time while he underwent intense treatment, including a bone marrow transplant in 2014. Misty estimates they spent nearly three years in total living at the House.
During those years, life continued to unfold in extraordinary ways. Their oldest daughter, Felicity, was able to live with them at the House; growing up, keeping up with school, and finding comfort in the supportive community around her. Their youngest, Nevaeh, was born in Seattle in 2013, during Kyler’s first relapse. “I was walking around with a baby strapped to me and Kyler in a stroller,” Misty laughed. “We just kept going.”
The family’s connection to the House grew deep. Misty still remembers staff and volunteers by name – people who felt like extended family. “It really was our home away from home,” she said. “Without this place, I don’t know what we would have done. It is impossible to keep up with your mortgage and other bills while living in another state for months on end. The fact that the housing, meals, and other services were free at the Ronald McDonald House gave us financial relief and made it possible for us to focus on Kyler.”
Now, eleven years later, Kyler is 16. He has lingering side effects from treatment but is thriving. When the family visits Seattle, they make a point to stop by the House, just to say hello. “Everyone there is like family,” Misty said. “They see Kyler and can’t believe how big he’s gotten. We’re grateful every single day, for the meals, the community, and the people who were there when we needed them most.”
Thanks to your generosity, kids like Kyler and their families have a place where they can be themselves, surrounded by care, support, and hope. Give now.
