16 Mar A Village Full of Support

Colleen and her husband, Jason, thought they knew what to expect when preparing for the arrival of their fourth child. With an adult son, Kyler, and two young children, Sawyer and Charlotte, they had been through this before. But Baby Eleanor had other plans — arriving three months early and changing their lives forever.

Jason and Colleen the first time they held baby Eleanor.

An Unexpected and Terrifying Turn

Colleen’s pregnancy started with excitement. On her birthday in April 2024, she and Jason went in for their first ultrasound, thrilled to see their newest family member. But that joy turned to fear just a few weeks later on Memorial Day, when Colleen began bleeding. The couple rushed to the emergency room, terrified they might lose the baby they had so carefully planned .

For six agonizing weeks, Colleen was in and out of the hospital as doctors tried to determine the cause of the bleeding. In July, during an anatomy scan at Reno’s High Risk Pregnancy Center, Dr. Brad Bosse delivered unsettling news: Colleen’s placenta was trying to detach.

Given their options, the couple made a clear choice — they would do everything possible to save their baby. By August 12, they were relieved to be released from high-risk care, hoping for a smooth remainder of the pregnancy. But on August 26, Colleen was awakened by what she thought was her water breaking, but turned out to be bleeding instead. She woke Jason, and they rushed to Renown — where she jokes that the staff must have liked her so much, they decided to keep her.

A Life-Saving Decision

On September 15, while still at Renown, Colleen suffered a complete placental abruption — a life-threatening emergency. She was rushed into surgery for an emergency C-section. Today,, she shudders to think what might have happened if she had been home in Walker, CA that day and two hours from her medical team in Reno.

“They don’t think either one of us would have made it,” Colleen shares. “I’m thankful they kept us, even with the hardships that entailed. It wasn’t ideal, but it was necessary for us to survive.”

At just 28 weeks and four days, Eleanor was born — tiny, but fighting.

“I don’t think she would have made it if it weren’t for Dr. Bosse,” Colleen says. “He was experienced, kind, and patient with us.”

A Home Away From Home

Eleanor spent 50 days in Renown Children’s Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) while Colleen recovered from surgery. But for their family, the challenges weren’t just medical — they were also logistical.

Jason, a first responder and a farmer, had to ensure their animals — cows, chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, dogs, and cats — were cared for every day. After making

With her favorite nurse, Melanie, on Eleanor’s graduation day.

arrangements, he returned to Reno with Sawyer and Charlotte, reuniting with Colleen at the Ronald McDonald House, where they lived for 47 days.

For two weeks during their stay, Jason worked 24-hour shifts as a first responder, juggling his duty to his job and his family. Through it all, the Ronald McDonald House staff provided the support they desperately needed.

“They allowed our family and friends to come watch Sawyer and Charlotte so I could still be present for Eleanor’s care times,” Colleen says. “It truly took a village those seven weeks, but especially in the beginning.”         

One of the people who made a difference was Eleanor’s primary nurse, Melanie.

“She encouraged me to take care of myself while taking care of Eleanor,” Colleen shares. “She reminded me that Eleanor was just tiny and needed to grow stronger. On the days she was on duty, I knew I could take a little extra time to take care of myself and be present for Sawyer and Charlotte.”

That bond with Melanie is one their family will treasure forever.

Eleanor’s siblings, celebrating her first Christmas.

Better Than a Fancy Hotel

While their children saw the Ronald McDonald House as a fun adventure — “a fancy hotel,” as they called it — Colleen saw it as something much more: a lifeline.

“They have it so thoughtfully set up for families,” she says. “The playroom downstairs was the highlight of the kids’ stay. They played with toys we didn’t have at home and read from an endless library of children’s books.”

Sawyer even declared, “Whelp, maybe we need a library.”

But the biggest comfort was simply being together.

“It was just nice for all of us to be in the same place,” Colleen says. “I don’t know how I would have gotten through it without Jason and the kids there with me.”

Building Community Through Shared Struggles

Staying at the Ronald McDonald House didn’t just keep their family together — it connected them to a supportive community.

“They had two incredible women, Alana and Rebecca, who made a huge difference,” Colleen says. “They were always warm, welcoming, and ready to help — especially for a family of four.”

One of the ways Colleen and Jason gave back was through cooking meals for other families once a week.

“When you’re in trauma, helping others helps you, too,” she says. “Friends and church members dropped off groceries, and iwas so nice to not have to think about food.”

The whole family together at home.

Having access to a kitchen was a game-changer for their family, who prefers home-cooked meals over eating out.

“I’d go see Eleanor at 5 AM, then come back and make oatmeal and cocoa for the kids before showering and heading back over,” Colleen says.

A Friendship Forged in Hardship

Among the many connections made at the House, Colleen also found a new best friend, Lauren.

“Lauren had been there six weeks longer than me,” she says. “She made me feel like it was going to be okay. Her baby, Ruby, was born six weeks before Eleanor, and seeing Ruby thrive gave me hope.”

Lauren’s resilience and kindness became a source of strength.

“She always made sure other people were okay, even while going through her own struggles,” Colleen says. “We bonded over trauma — there’s no way you go through what we did and come out completely intact. It’s okay not to feel normal after something like this.”

Now living just an hour apart in Carson Valley, Colleen and Lauren talk every day, sharing the ups and downs of life with their miracle babies.

A Father’s Strength

While Colleen had Lauren, she also had Jason, who carried his own burden through the ordeal.

“I don’t know that I would have made it through without him,” she says. “He watched his wife go through something unimaginable, knowing he could lose one or both of us, all while keeping his faith and making sure Sawyer and Charlotte’s lives remained as normal as possible.”

Jason found comfort in routine, learning to braid Charlotte’s hair and reading with Sawyer every day.

“He is truly an amazing man and father,” Colleen says. “As a veteran and first responder, he loves taking care of others, and he’s amazing at it.”

Keeping Families Together When It Matters Most

“I don’t know that I’ll ever find the words to describe how much the Ronald McDonald House meant to us,” Colleen says. “One day, maybe I’ll figure it out.”

We think she already has. And we’re just grateful we could be part of their village when they needed it most.