When my wife, Sumar, was 28 weeks pregnant with our third child, Nolan, we received terrifying news—there were serious complications with his heart. He needed a specialized fetal procedure immediately. Thankfully, his doctor was able to successfully open his heart valve before birth.
For the next two years, Nolan was thriving. Despite multiple follow-up appointments with specialists, he didn’t even need medication!
But just before his third birthday, another heart procedure was scheduled. Immediately after the surgery, we were stunned to hear that Nolan was in heart failure. He spent the next six weeks in the hospital. Everything seemed to stop when we heard that our son needed a heart transplant.
With little time to decide, we chose a hospital with a Ronald McDonald House close so our family could be together during this difficult time. Our family had to be together.
In November 2019, Nolan went into the hospital to prepare for his transplant. His mom, big brother Logan, big sister McKinley, and I went next door to stay at Ronald McDonald House to cheer him on. Staying at the Ronald McDonald House allowed us to be together as a family, supporting our champion son. While one of us was with Logan and McKinley, the other could be with Nolan, and because the House was so close, we could easily switch places.
The Ronald McDonald House was more than just a place to sleep—it was a community. There were so many activities and resources available that Logan and McKinley kept very busy. Our kids made friends with other siblings in the House who understood the journey of having a sick brother or sister.
Though we never expected to be so far from home for so long, being together—and our faith—carried us through. After nearly six months of Nolan waiting in-patient during the beginning of COVID, Nolan received his heart transplant on Easter Sunday—a moment we saw as a sign from God. It was confirmation that Nolan was and always will be in God’s hands.
Nolan grew stronger every day and was able to complete his recovery at the House with us by his side. After 225 days in the hospital and nearly 11 months —including 174 nights at Ronald McDonald House—we finally went home! We are forever grateful for our faith and the care and support of Ronald McDonald House. I do not know how we could have gone through this journey alone.
-Bill Wightman, Nolan’s Dad
The family stays committed to supporting RMHC so that others families can receive the same loving care they experienced when they needed it most.
