21 Oct Part 1: Baby Cece’s Story

Posted on Oct 21 by

One family’s journey, an entire community of support

Just weeks before the coronavirus turned the world upside down, Jordan and Kristin received news that changed their journey as new parents in an instant. Their baby Cece would need open heart surgery only days after birth.

At home in Hawaii, the couple was thousands of miles away from the highly specialized care needed to save baby Cece’s life.

Then, the global health crisis hit.

Without Ronald McDonald House, I’d have to focus on where we’re going to live, but, right now, we have a place to stay, we feel safe, and I can solely focus on my daughter.”–Cece’s mom, Kristin

“Not only is it COVID, but we also have a daughter with a heart defect,” said Kristin, who is a pediatric intensive care nurse.

With Jordan unable to leave his job, Kristin traveled to the Bay Area alone, without family, to prepare for her first child’s complicated delivery. Shortly after, Jordan was laid off due to COVID-19. The silver lining? He could join Kristin at Ronald McDonald House right away.

“It’s just been one thing after another,” said Jordan, who wasn’t able to visit Kristin and Cece in the hospital due to COVID-19 restrictions. No one ever imagines that their baby will have to endure such hardship so early in life, let alone during the “craziest year a lot of us can remember.”

Thanks to an outpouring of donations from people and organizations across the Bay Area, our team was immediately able to provide housing, meals, and support to Kristin and Jordan.

You can give today >>

“We would be in a lot of trouble [without Ronald McDonald House],” Jordan said. “When I came out a lot of hotels weren’t open to the public. My thoughts were that I would probably have to rent a car and sleep outside the hospital.”

Instead, thanks to an entire community of support, Jordan was able to stay close—and even plan a special moment for Kristin.

In their room, thousands of miles from home and family, as their newborn recovered from a successful surgery, Jordan asked

Kristin to marry him. After saying, “Yes,” Kristin was ready to get on a plane (but this time not alone) and travel home with her new fiancé and baby girl.

“I don’t see how anyone can do this on their own,” Jordan said.

And with your support, no family with a critically ill child has to go through this alone.