The Dermyer Family

Michaela was born with a congenital heart defect called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. During a routine appointment when she was 3 years old, her doctors in Lansing started, and then stopped, a stress test. They did an ultrasound and told her mom and dad “grab what you can and get to Detroit.” Michaela had a major blockage in her heart and needed immediate surgery. Her parents raced her to Children’s Hospital of Michigan and spent the next three nights sleeping at her bedside as she underwent open heart surgery.
When they learned about the Ronald McDonald House, her dad, Willard, felt a huge sense of relief. Their son, just 4 years old and staying with grandparents back at home in Jackson, could now come visit his parents and little sister. His wife could eat a real meal, instead of hospital grilled cheese sandwiches. In Willard’s own words, “To sit down, try and relax a little bit in between going up and being with your child, it was a breath of fresh air for a minute to sit and relax and be as a family”.

Michaela is now 20 years old and doing well! She has had several surgeries but none as urgent or severe as her first and her parents are still so thankful for their time in the Ronald McDonald House.