rmhc logo
  • The Socks Family Story
  • Donate
  • Welcome
  • The Otto Family
  • The Jackson Family Story
  • PARTNERS
  • Donation Confirmation
  • Donation Failed
  • Donation History
  • ’20 Year End
  • Celebrating 35 Years
  • Manage Subscriptions
  • Dinner Group Sign Up
  • 2020 Year End Fundraiser
  • West Family Story
  • The Spence Family Story
  • About
    • Mission and History
    • Impact Report and Financial Info
    • Relationship with McDonald’s
    • Relationship with the Medical Community
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Job Postings
    • Contact
  • How to Stay
    • Directions to the Main House
    • Directions to the Mott House
    • Main House Tour
    • Mott House Tour
  • Get Involved
    • Red Shoe Society Events and Info
    • Doors of Hope
    • Adopt a Room
    • Volunteer as a Group
    • Host an Event
    • Volunteer
    • Meals Matter
    • Wishlist Info
    • Pop Tabs
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Amazon Smile
    • Hospitality a la Carte Program
  • News and Events
    • Current Newsletter
    • Red Shoe Affair
    • Information for Media
    • Press Releases
  • Welcome
  • About
  • How to Stay
  • Get Involved
  • News and Events
  • PARTNERS
  • MENUmobile hamburger
  • HOW TO STAY
  • mobile search
  • Generic selectors
    Exact matches only
    Search in title
    Search in content
    Search in posts
    Search in pages
    Filter by Categories
    Uncategorized
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Search in posts
Search in pages
Filter by Categories
Uncategorized

 

Sweet Little Abe was born with half a heart.  Here is his story.

Can you picture it?  Kristina and Chris Peace were gleefully expecting their second child just in time for the holidays.  “Our long-awaited second child arrived on November 13th.  We named him Abrahm – Abe for short.”  Their hearts were bursting at the seams with joy.  Especially Sam’s little heart.  He was so excited to be a big brother!

“We didn’t know anything was wrong.  The nurses said he looked a little blue.  So, they took him to the neonatal intensive care unit, just to have him looked at,” Chris said.

Imagine Chris holding his perfect bundle of joy in his arms for the very first time.  Now imagine a moment later, as nurses suddenly took Abe from dad and raced him to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). They assured Chris and Kristina, it was just a precautionary measure.  Chris waited patiently in the NICU waiting area.  

As minutes turned into hours, their fleeting joy turned to devastating fear.  Chris and Kristina will never forget the first time they heard the words, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.  Sweet little Abe was missing half of his heart.

“Our lives were literally uprooted into this completely foreign world,” said Kristina.  

Within hours of his birth, Abe was life-flighted to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital for his first of three nerve-racking open-heart surgeries.  Chris and Kristina drove from the regional hospital where Abe was born to Ann Arbor.  That ninety-minute trip was the longest drive of their lives.  All the while tearfully worrying about what was happening with their sweet baby boy.  Kristina shared, “I would stay at the Ronald McDonald House during the week.  Chris and Sam would come up on the weekends.  Those weeknight walks to the House were really hard.  But there were other moms I would walk back with and that would make the walk a little easier.”  

The Peace family never imagined spending Abe’s first Thanksgiving with other families at the Ronald McDonald House or calling Ronald McDonald House Charities Ann Arbor home for 11 weeks straight.  They admit it was never a community they wanted to belong to.  But it became a community they could depend upon, thanks to you.

Keeping families close to their seriously-ill children is what we do and have done at RMHCAA for the last 35 years.   But we can’t do it without you.

Because of your compassionate and generous support, Abe just celebrated his 5th birthday.  But his medial journey will continue for years to come.  You can help ensure Ronald McDonald House Charities will be here for Abe and other families with seriously-sick children now and forever. You’ve been there for families in the past.  They need you now more than ever.  Please give.

With sincere gratitude,

Kim Kelly
Executive Director

P.S. Thanks to the generosity of our long-time friend and supporter Geraldine Kilsdonk, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $35,000 – in celebration of our 35th anniversary!

 

 

donate Icon DONATE
volunteer Icon VOLUNTEER

Sign up for our eNewsletter to read inspiring stories from our families, learn about upcoming events, and keep up to date with RMHCAA news.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

© RMHC 2017
The following trademarks used herein are owned by McDonald's Corporation and its affiliates; McDonald's, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ronald McDonald House Charities Logo, RMHC, Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room, and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile.

RMHC is recognized as a public charity under Internal Revenue Code section 509(a) and has 501(c)(3) status. Donations to RMHC are deductible. Donors should consult their tax advisor for questions regarding deductibility. The RMHC EIN is 38-2473817. A copy of the RMHC determination letter is available upon request.

Contact us at: 1600 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 | Phone: 734-994-4442 | Fax: 734-994-4919

    Welcome
    About
  • Impact Report and Financial Info
  • Our Relationship with McDonald’s
  • Relationship with the Medical Community
  • Board of Directors
  • Mission and History
  • Job Postings
  • Contact
  • Staff
    How to Stay
  • Directions to the Main House
  • Directions to the Mott House
  • Main House Tour
  • Mott House Tour
    Get Involved
  • Red Shoe Society Events and Info
  • Host an Event
  • Volunteer as a Group
  • Meals Matter
  • Wishlist & Holidays
  • Pop Tabs
  • Vehicle Donation
  • Amazon Smile
  • Hospitality a la Carte Program
    News and Events
  • Current Newsletter
  • Red Shoe Affair
  • Information for Media
  • Press Releases
    PARTNERS
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn