what a family has a child in the
what a family has a child in the

hospital it's extremely stressful and
hospital it's extremely stressful and

for a family who was travelling back and
for a family who was travelling back and

forth between Lake Nona and their home
forth between Lake Nona and their home

at in Lakeland the Ronald McDonald House
at in Lakeland the Ronald McDonald House

provided comfort and lodging in a time
provided comfort and lodging in a time

of need
of need

morning anchor kirsten o'connor joins us
morning anchor kirsten o'connor joins us

now in Kirsten it looks like Nemours
now in Kirsten it looks like Nemours

will be able to provide for even more
will be able to provide for even more

families soon yeah this is some good
families soon yeah this is some good

news Julie it's all thanks to a big
news Julie it's all thanks to a big

donation Lake Nona's rapidly expanding
donation Lake Nona's rapidly expanding

as a whole we all know that so this
as a whole we all know that so this

expansion is also timely to keep up with
expansion is also timely to keep up with

the population growth out there and the
the population growth out there and the

bigger the Ronald McDonald House will
bigger the Ronald McDonald House will

allow more families to stay and so this
allow more families to stay and so this

were walking a miracle cuz we weren't
were walking a miracle cuz we weren't

expecting a baby in July it's just
expecting a baby in July it's just

really scary
really scary

Danielle Maldonado second son Leonardo
Danielle Maldonado second son Leonardo

was born at just 28 weeks one pound nine
was born at just 28 weeks one pound nine

ounces they told us that there was a
ounces they told us that there was a

chance we wouldn't even have him and
chance we wouldn't even have him and

that was just like gut-wrenching
that was just like gut-wrenching

Leonardo needed surgery and was
Leonardo needed surgery and was

transferred from a hospital in Lakeland
transferred from a hospital in Lakeland

to Nemours in Lake Nona Danielle says
to Nemours in Lake Nona Danielle says

more than an hour from home she slept in
more than an hour from home she slept in

the NICU it's just hard to balance going
the NICU it's just hard to balance going

back and forth with because we don't
back and forth with because we don't

want to be away from Leo because in case
want to be away from Leo because in case

anything where it happened but at the
anything where it happened but at the

same time Angelo needs his normal and
same time Angelo needs his normal and

that's really hard when you have a
that's really hard when you have a

toddler and a tiny baby nurses at
toddler and a tiny baby nurses at

Nemours Children's Hospital told
Nemours Children's Hospital told

Danielle she should apply for the Ronald
Danielle she should apply for the Ronald

McDonald House a program that offers
McDonald House a program that offers

free housing and meals for families like
free housing and meals for families like

hers and so my husband got on his phone
hers and so my husband got on his phone

and when we got in within 24 hours which
and when we got in within 24 hours which

we were shocked we thought that there
we were shocked we thought that there

would be a waiting list but we got
would be a waiting list but we got

really lucky the house opened two years
really lucky the house opened two years

ago with 15 rooms running at ninety to a
ago with 15 rooms running at ninety to a

hundred percent capacity from the very
hundred percent capacity from the very

start but now thanks to a donation
start but now thanks to a donation

they're expanding bringing nine more
they're expanding bringing nine more

rooms it looks open and empty but this
rooms it looks open and empty but this

hallway is going to be home to new rooms
hallway is going to be home to new rooms

for kids who need to stay at the Ronald
for kids who need to stay at the Ronald

McDonald House while they're seeking
McDonald House while they're seeking

treatment at the hospital and Lake Nona
treatment at the hospital and Lake Nona

we are literally a home away from home
we are literally a home away from home

for these
for these

families and the families here our
families and the families here our

support network for each other they're
support network for each other they're

all going through the same things and
all going through the same things and

they come together as just as cohesive
they come together as just as cohesive

unit and support each other and it's
unit and support each other and it's

just a really amazing thing to see after
just a really amazing thing to see after

30 days Danielle says she'll have to
30 days Danielle says she'll have to

apply again to see if they can extend
apply again to see if they can extend

their stay but she's looking ahead
their stay but she's looking ahead

hopefully we'll get to go home by the
hopefully we'll get to go home by the

time that he had his due date but we
time that he had his due date but we

don't know we'll see but for today he's
don't know we'll see but for today he's

stable and we're good now if you've seen
stable and we're good now if you've seen

the Ronald McDonald House before you'll
the Ronald McDonald House before you'll

think it's a big building kind of looks
think it's a big building kind of looks

like a hotel but there are actually only
like a hotel but there are actually only

15 rooms in that house for families to
15 rooms in that house for families to

stay so you can imagine things get very
stay so you can imagine things get very

competitive the hope is that the Lake
competitive the hope is that the Lake

Nona expansion will be finished by
Nona expansion will be finished by

December of 2019 and that will be adding
December of 2019 and that will be adding

nine rooms but they have more room they
nine rooms but they have more room they

just need more donations they they made
just need more donations they they made

that building there on purpose knowing
that building there on purpose knowing

Lake Nona has so much you know there's
Lake Nona has so much you know there's

so much there's so many people heading
so much there's so many people heading

out there and I just hope that more
out there and I just hope that more

families like hers I mean she was such a
families like hers I mean she was such a

great example of one of those moms who
great example of one of those moms who

just wants to see her baby every day
just wants to see her baby every day

yeah and you know I loves only in the
yeah and you know I loves only in the

NICU for 10 days but it really is
NICU for 10 days but it really is

isolating so I imagine the support of
isolating so I imagine the support of

just being around other families who
just being around other families who

know what you're going through I mean
know what you're going through I mean

that's invaluable for the parents
that's invaluable for the parents

healing and in all this - right and I
healing and in all this - right and I

know Candace was actually out there when
know Candace was actually out there when

that building opened so wasn't that long
that building opened so wasn't that long

ago around two years ago and it was I
ago around two years ago and it was I

remember how excited they were and they
remember how excited they were and they

had all these dreams and hopes for this
had all these dreams and hopes for this

this building and it's it's slowly
this building and it's it's slowly

coming true which is great news all
coming true which is great news all

volunteer runs so if you have any
volunteer runs so if you have any

interest they're looking for people yes
interest they're looking for people yes

all right thanks Kirsten if you'd like
all right thanks Kirsten if you'd like

to help get results for Ronald McDonald
to help get results for Ronald McDonald

House Charities we've included the
House Charities we've included the

information at Kirsten's web story head
information at Kirsten's web story head

over to click Orlando com click on the
over to click Orlando com click on the

getting results tab on the homepage
getting results tab on the homepage