When a child is ill or injured, families face moments that are hard to describe. And when care is far from home, that worry grows with the distance. Ronald McDonald House surrounds families with the care and support they need so they can stay close to their child and to each other.
For Megan Lynch of Grand Falls-Windsor, one medical journey was followed by another she never expected. In May of 2025, Megan was excited for the arrival of her youngest son, Hudson. While she knew he would be born with Down syndrome, it wasn’t until his arrival that she learned he had a congenital heart condition known as Atrioventricular Septal Defect (AVSD). This meant Hudson would require open heart surgery in just a few short months and ongoing care for the rest of his life.
Then in August, Megan received the worst call of her life. Her 14-year-old son, Hunter, was involved in a dirt bike accident and experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI). “I thought he was dead,” Megan expressed about seeing him on a stretcher. Hunter broke both shoulder blades and collarbones, and because of the TBI, lost all his physical abilities. Suddenly, Megan was navigating complex medical needs for two children, far from home, while also worrying about her other children, Hailey, 17, and Hayden, 12, who were being cared for by family back in Grand Falls-Windsor, more than 400 km away.
“I was heartbroken, scared, and stressed,” Megan recalls. “How does this happen to someone, all within a couple months?” She worried Hunter would never walk again. “He was in there, but he wasn’t there. That was the hardest part of his recovery, was watching him look at you and him kind of looking at you like, why can’t I express myself?” The road ahead was overwhelming. With Hudson’s open heart surgery and Hunter facing an estimated two-year recovery, Megan knew she needed to stay close to the hospital. As a single mom, the stress of caring for her children, along with the financial and emotional strain, could have been unbearable without support.
When Megan first learned about Ronald McDonald House, the feeling she remembers most was relief. “I honestly don’t know how I would have survived without the house. They became my family and a huge support system for me, and always a listening ear.” Staying at Ronald McDonald House NL gave Megan more than a place to sleep. It gave her stability, comfort, and community during one of the most vulnerable times in her life. From warm meals and a comfortable bed, to volunteers and staff who were always ready to listen, the House lifted a huge burden.
With Hudson and Hunter having been in the hospital at the same time, Megan says they have a bond like no other “Hudson is a ball of love and joy, he literally got Hunter through what he needed to.” Hudson is doing well after his surgery and Hunter has come a long way – walking, talking and eating on his own now.
The programs and services offered at Ronald McDonald House helped bring moments of normalcy during an otherwise stressful time. The Magic Room provided joy during difficult days, home-cooked meals and baked goods created a sense of home, grab‑and‑go snacks made long hospital days a little easier, and the quilts became treasured reminders of kindness from people across Newfoundland and Labrador.
“The Ronald McDonald house will always hold a special place in my heart, and the staff will always be considered the family I didn’t know I needed,” Megan shares. “They have seen me in my most vulnerable state of mind to my happiest and never ever judge and was always there to help.”
Family is not a visitor, they stick around for the long haul. Ronald McDonald House Newfoundland and Labrador ensures families like the Lynch / Adams family can be together, supported, and close to the care they need.
