The Place That Held Our Family Together
When Celeste and Tyler Schmitt imagined welcoming twins into their family, they never expected the journey would begin weeks early—or that it would require their family to be separated during one of the most vulnerable seasons of their lives.
Celeste was hospitalized for four weeks due to complications during her pregnancy, eventually delivering twins Blake and Kaysen at just 31 weeks and 2 days. While the newborn boys were fighting to grow stronger in the NICU, their older children—Zendaya (5) and Zain (4)—were struggling too, navigating long hospital days, strict visiting hours, and time away from their parents.
“We missed being together,” Celeste shared. “It was so hard for Tyler to say goodbye to the kids over and over again just to go back down to the hospital. Our family felt torn apart.”
That changed the moment they walked through the doors of Ronald McDonald House.
“We were amazed,” Celeste said. “After weeks of hospital food, walking into a warm kitchen with home-cooked meals, friendly volunteers, and a room that felt like a hotel—it was exactly what we needed.”
For nearly seven weeks—49 long days—the Schmitt family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House while Blake and Kaysen grew stronger in the NICU. Being just steps away from the hospital meant they never had to choose between being present for their newborns’ feedings and milestones or caring for their older children.
“Having the House connected to the hospital made a world of difference,” Celeste explained. “If we had to drive back and forth to Jasper every day, or stay in a hotel, it would’ve been overwhelming—emotionally, physically, and financially. One of us needed to be close at all times.”
The House didn’t just provide a place to sleep—it restored a sense of normalcy. Zendaya and Zain found joy in playrooms filled with laughter, family adventures made possible through donated passes to local attractions, and even free haircuts that turned stressful moments into smiles.
“They called it the ‘hospital hotel,’” Celeste laughed. “To them, it felt like a vacation. To us, it felt like relief.”
For Celeste, proximity mattered in another deeply personal way. Remaining close allowed her to establish a pumping routine, ensuring she could provide milk for her twins during their NICU stay.
“With the stress we were under, I don’t think that would’ve been possible without the House,” she said. “Having meals ready, a place to rest, and not worrying about logistics gave me the space to focus on my babies.”
There were moments when the comfort of Ronald McDonald House meant everything—especially when Blake took a sudden, life-threatening turn on just his second day of life.
“Knowing we had a place right there to stay for the remainder of their hospital journey was incredibly comforting,” Celeste shared. “We didn’t have to think. We could just be parents.”
Throughout their stay, staff and volunteers became a lifeline—offering warm meals, conversations, small gifts for the kids, and reminders that they were not alone. Friendships formed with other families walking similar paths, connections that continue even now as they watch those once-tiny babies grow and thrive.
If Ronald McDonald House Charities hadn’t been there, Celeste knows their story would look very different.
“We would’ve been separated for so much longer,” she said. “The financial strain, the travel, the emotional toll—it would’ve been unbearable. Ronald McDonald House kept our family together.”
Today, when Celeste thinks about donors and supporters, her gratitude is simple but profound.
“You made it possible for us to stay close to our children and close to each other,” she said. “We didn’t have to worry about where we’d sleep or how we’d eat. You gave us comfort when we needed it most.”
Because of that generosity, a family stayed together. Parents remained bedside. Siblings still felt like kids. And in the hardest days, hope had a home.