09 Sep Taylor Family Story

Meet the Taylor family, who came to stay at RMHC Philly 40 years ago. Their hometown doctors in Wisconsin had told parents Rick and Mary that their twins, Emily and Claire, would be born conjoined and the best possible outcome was at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Despite the uncertainty, Rick traveled to Philadelphia with the newborn twins—his first ever plane ride, and his first time leaving Wisconsin. Mary wasn’t medically cleared to travel after giving birth, leaving Rick to navigate an unfamiliar city while preparing for his daughters’ complex medical journey.

Fortunately, the Taylors discovered unexpected comfort and solace when they found the Ronald McDonald House—a place that would become a second home for the whole family for the next five months.

The doctors told them that the twins had less than a 50% chance of survival if they attempted surgery to separate them. But to give the girls the best possible lives, their parents decided to approve the procedure.

Thanks to the successful work of Philadelphia doctors, the twins survived, and the family returned multiple times each year for the next eight years for ongoing surgeries. During each visit, the Ronald McDonald House was more than just a place to stay for the Taylors. It was a refuge in a time of overwhelming uncertainty.

“It’s hard to imagine what our lives would have been like without the House,” said Mary. “The cost of staying in hotels would have been devastating for our family. The House allowed us to focus our attention on the girls, rather than worry about where we would stay or how we would afford it.”

“At the darkest period of your life, when you’re struggling to save your children, the House is a big factor in survival. It’s beyond words,” added Rick

The twins, Emily and Claire, are now 40 years old, and raising children of their own. The family’s experience at the House continued when both Emily and Claire stayed at Ronald McDonald Houses across the country for their children’s healthcare, just as their parents had done.

Even though times have changed, and the needs of families have evolved, our commitment to providing comfort and hope remains the same. That feeling of security and relief that Rick and Mary experienced at House is the same feeling we continue to offer every family who walks through our doors today.