Mom, dad, baby boy portrait in wooded area.

Meet Annette, Tyler, & Philippe

My name is Annette. My family and I are from Fort Erie, Ontario and we stayed at RMHC®SCO for nearly 2 months we my son was born at just 28 weeks.

Hometown Fort Erie

Days 51

Service Used Hamilton House & Hamilton Family Room

Our Story

In December 2020 I found out I was pregnant - Tyler and I were overjoyed that our family was growing! Just three months later, we found out we were having a boy. Life as we knew it was perfect.

But then at 27 weeks of pregnancy life started to change …

I was rushed to the hospital for a placental abruption. I was also diagnosed with preeclampsia. I was immediately transferred to McMaster Children’s Hospital so my son and I could be monitored closely. A week later – now just at 28 weeks of pregnancy – my son was born via emergency C-section and soon after was rushed to the NICU to be treated. Tyler and I were terrified of what might happen to our little boy.

Once I was discharged from the Hospital, we went across the street to check-in at RMHC SCO so we could be close to our son while he was still receiving care. Tyler and I stayed at RMHC SCO for more than 50 nights until our son was transferred to a Level 2 Hospital closer to home.

During our time at the House, we were taken care of by the amazing staff and volunteers. They were welcoming, friendly, and incredibly accommodating – particularly the kitchen staff who accommodated for my food allergy. They took the time to plan activities, movie nights, and even special meals for holidays such as Father’s Day & Canada Day. Everyone at RMHC SCO truly made us feel at home while we were going through the hardest days of our lives. They went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable during our stay.

If Tyler and I weren’t able to stay at RMHC SCO while our son was fighting for his life, we would have had to drive over an hour to-and-from our home, every day. We are so lucky that we were able to stay at RMHC SCO because it meant that we were only five minutes away from our little fighter. Being so close to him made me feel like I could breathe easier, knowing I could get to him at a moment’s notice.

RMHC SCO is so important to us - they took us in when we needed them most. We are so fortunate to have been able to stay at a Ronald McDonald House as well as meet some amazing families during our stay!