When McKayla Swinehart of Fremont, Ohio, went in for her weekly non-stress test at 36 weeks pregnant, she never expected how quickly everything would change. Doctors suspected a possible knot in her baby’s umbilical cord — a terrifying complication for any expecting mother. After consulting with her OB, McKayla was sent in for an emergency C-section.
Her daughter, Maeleigh, entered the world crying, but it quickly became clear she was struggling.
“She gradually became limp, her color wasn’t great, and she needed supplemental oxygen,” McKayla recalls. After several episodes of desaturation and close monitoring, it was decided that Maeleigh would need to be transferred to the NICU in Toledo for advanced care.
That’s when McKayla’s whirlwind truly began — recovering from a C-section while navigating the fear and uncertainty of having a newborn in intensive care.
At first, McKayla thought she could manage the 45-minute drive back and forth from Fremont to Toledo.
“My mom suggested the Ronald McDonald House, and I was hesitant,” she admits. “But she talked me into it, and I’m so glad she did. I would’ve regretted not staying there.”
For six nights, the Ronald McDonald House became McKayla’s refuge — a place to rest, recharge, and find a sense of normalcy amid the chaos. It wasn’t just about the proximity to the hospital. It was about what the House made possible.
One of the biggest comforts for McKayla was knowing her family could be close, especially her grandmother.
“My grandma would bring my son Laney up to visit, and she’d stay for dinner at the House with us sometimes,” McKayla remembers. “It meant so much to have her there — she was such a constant for all of us.”
In those moments gathered around a table at Ronald McDonald House, surrounded by kindness and home-cooked meals, McKayla’s family found a little piece of peace.
When her grandmother passed away earlier this year, it was a tremendous loss for their family. But in a beautiful reflection of the love and care she always gave, McKayla’s family and friends came together to honor her memory. Donations poured in to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Ohio — a testament to the way her grandmother touched lives, both within her family and beyond.
“The Ronald McDonald House was my peace in the chaos,” McKayla shares. “And my grandma made sure we were all taken care of. She would’ve loved seeing how people gave back in her honor.”
Today, McKayla carries the experience with her — as a mom, as a healthcare worker, and as a compassionate supporter of other NICU families.
“I tell the moms I meet, ‘If your baby’s in the NICU, you need to check out the Ronald McDonald House.’ I know how much it helped me, and I want other families to have that too.”
In McKayla’s words, the Ronald McDonald House is simple to describe:
“A blessing.”
