The Attard Family

Our Story

When we learned our son would face so many challenges during and after birth, our world changed instantly. We were scared, felt heartbreak and so many unknowns watching him fight every day. Being far from home made everything even harder – the hospital became our whole world for months. Through it all, our son showed us incredible strength and taught us to hold onto hope and celebrate every small victory.

We heard about Ronald McDonald House through friends who stayed there in the past. But when we arrived, it was so much more than we imagined. I expected something more like a group home, but instead I was overwhelmed by the warmth, comfort, and support being offered to families like ours. I couldn’t stop crying during the tour because I was so incredibly grateful. I thought having our other two children would make things difficult, but they immediately felt comfortable at the House; seeing them feel safe, relaxed, and happy took a huge weight off our shoulders during an already overwhelming time.

The toy room at the House was absolutely incredible, and our kids fell in love with it right away. As a postpartum mom, having a comfortable bed, a warm shower, and access to a Lactation Room brought so much comfort during such a difficult time. The meals and staff were amazing, and the care shown to our family meant everything to us. Even simple moments like relaxing together in the movie theatre made our children feel happy and special during an otherwise overwhelming experience.

My favourite part of Ronald McDonald House was the sense of comfort and normalcy it gave our family during the hardest time of our lives. We stayed there for 49 days so we created a lot of memories during that time … it would be hard to narrow down our favourites. If you ask our other two children, they will probably say the Movie Theatre and the Secret Room (or would they…!?)

We celebrated Easter & Mothers Day while living at the Ronald McDonald House. While these holidays looked very different than we had imagined, the House helped make them meaningful and special for our family.

Not only did the House bring us comfort, but the people are also what makes the House a place will never forget. A few names that were special to us were Hilary, Elizabeth, and Payton were incredible, always kind, compassionate, and especially caring for our older children. They even gave our oldest daughter, Ellora, her very first job as a "Front Desk Apprentice," which made her feel so important and included. And then there was Linda. She was truly a breath of fresh air during one of the most difficult seasons of our lives.

While no family ever wants to face the challenges that we did, we are forever grateful that Ronald McDonald House exists for families experiencing the unimaginable. During a time filled with fear, uncertainty, and heartbreak, it provided us with comfort, support, and a place to call home. We will carry that gratitude with us for the rest of our lives.