The Gleason Family’s Story
Joplin, Missouri
After delivering their first child in 2016, Natalee and Tyler Gleason received the overwhelming news that their daughter Gracelynn was not breathing well on her own and needed to stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The new parents went home to pack a few things, but walking through the front door without their baby brought many emotions to the surface. Their daughter’s nursery was empty, their hearts were with her in a hospital miles away, and being at home just didn’t feel right.
The couple was told about the services of Ronald McDonald House, and they were relieved to learn that, despite living in Joplin, they could still use this close-by resource for their stay. “Ronald McDonald House turned out to be the biggest blessing to us,” Natalee said. “They welcomed our family with support, comfort and provided a sense of home.”
The Gleasons gave birth to their son Lennex in 2019, and like his sister, he required extra care in the NICU. Natalee shared, “The sadness was there again, but one thing was for certain: we knew we would be staying at the Ronald McDonald House again.”
At Ronald McDonald House of the Four States, Natalee and Tyler could be close to Lennex while maintaining a routine for Gracelynn, who was 3 years old at the time. “We were able to do nightly routines together,” Natalee said. “We were able to squeeze in playtime and have breakfast together in the mornings. As far as Gracelynn knew, we just got to stay at a fun hotel when baby brother was born.”
Throughout their two stays at Ronald McDonald House, they formed lasting connections with volunteers, staff members, and other families going through similar circumstances. “We want to always be a part of the Ronald McDonald House family,” Natalee said.
“It was truly a blessing to be able to utilize the House and really make it our home away from home while we were going through what was, at that point and maybe even still, one of the hardest points of our lives,” said Tyler.
The Gleasons are just one of many families who have called Ronald McDonald House their “home away from home” while their seriously ill children were being cared for in the hospital.