After several years of misdiagnosis, 16-yearold Jose “Tony” Rodrigo was finally diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in August 2020. Tony’s chronic stomach problems were initially attributed to celiac disease, and being unable to nail down the right combination of foods, he endured the pain for years.
In the fall of 2020, he landed in the emergency room in Dickinson, North Dakota, with unbearable pain that the family initially thought was appendicitis. Following a week of appointments and tests with specialists, Tony was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and spent the next several months in and out of the hospital.
A more serious bout of related symptoms, along
with a COVID-19 diagnosis, resulted in Tony being airlifted to Fargo in October 2020. His mother, Nyomi Pimiento, was by his side for 10 straight days, which included two surgeries to treat his inflamed intestines.
Nyomi often jokes that Tony, meek and mellow-tempered, is a perfect child.
“Tony is a great kid. He is always willing to help,” she said.
As Nyomi prepared for her parents, Tony’s grandparents, to come up from Texas, she sought help from hospital staff to find a place for them to stay. The hospital’s referral to the Ronald McDonald House in Fargo provided stability during a very uncertain time.
“It was a complete blessing to have that location available to us,” Nyomi said.
The day her parents arrived, they checked into RMHC. While Nyomi spent most of her time at the hospital by Tony’s side, she did return to the house occasionally to shower and rest. She switched off with her father to ensure that someone was always keeping watch over Tony.
“It was nice just to be able to get out and get a breath of fresh air—to talk about how your day was going, a conversation that didn’t revolve around a sickness, and focus on something else,” Nyomi said.
Home cooked meals in the family kitchen were also a highlight for the family.
97 Nights
“If there was one thing I was completely sick of, it was takeout food,” Nyomi said.
The family uses cooking as an outlet as Jose, Nyomi’s husband, is a chef. Jose shared his Columbian heritage through delicious, authentic meals to the delight of other families and staff.
When Tony experienced a setback in the fall of 2021 and returned to Fargo for additional care, RMHC was there for his family again. All in all, the family spent two consecutive Thanksgiving holidays at
RMHC. They could not have been more grateful for the volunteers who made the turkey meal and kept the families company on a holiday away from home.
Tony’s three younger siblings also experienced the hospitality of RMHC as they visited him on school breaks and long weekends. Nyomi was amazed by the generosity and variety of donations made to the house as well as the top-notch, hotel-like services and amenities that were available for the entire family.
“I always tell my kids that you don’t know how good you have it until you don’t. The Ronald McDonald House is a definite godsend. It is just amazing—a blessing in all aspects.”
- Nyomi Pimiento
She expressed gratitude to the donors and commended RMHC for making sure donations were used responsibly and directly to benefit families.
A NOTE FROM Jill Christopher
Executive Director
As the grass turns green, it brings a renewed sense of hope. We are feeling refreshed here at the Ronald McDonald House as we open the doors to our seven-room expansion. This $350,000 project means fewer families will have to wait for a room and more families will be helped in 2022 and beyond.
“We experienced firsthand that the donations the Ronald McDonald House receives really are placed accordingly,” Nyomi said.
What might seem like a minor donation to RMHC may in fact be a godsend for a family. For Nyomi, that donation came in the form of a protein drink she found in the pantry. During recovery, Tony struggled to gain strength. Due to the damage to his intestines and the amount of time he was unable to eat, his body had a hard time digesting food. The protein drink Nyomi found in the pantry was medicine for her recovering boy and served as a tremendous help in nourishing him.
This past winter, Tony returned home to Dickinson where he continues to recover and focus on school, which he missed greatly. He hopes to finish his junior year this spring and work on finding a school in Texas to study architecture.
I would be remiss to not thank the wonderful individuals and organizations who made this project a reality through their generous donations, both monetary and in-kind. It is an honor to be entrusted with your resources for the good of the families we serve. We truly could not do what we do without your incredible support. Thank you for helping us to serve more families each year and minimize waitlist times for families.
I encourage you to read more about the project and the donors that made this possible in this newsletter.
Thanks, and happy Spring!
More Room, More Love
Ronald McDonald House is growing to better serve families
We are thrilled to announce the opening of seven additional rooms at our Ronald McDonald House in Fargo! March 2022 marked the completion of a 6-month, $350,000 expansion allowing us to now serve a total of 24 families each night.
When the new house was completed in 2018, we intentionally planned for future expansion. While we didn’t anticipate needing more space quite so quickly, we knew that our partner hospitals would continue to increase specialty care offerings for children, meaning more families traveling to Fargo for care for their children. In 2021, an average of 20 families per month were not able to stay at our facility on the day that they first needed a room.
Accommodation needs are a significant stressor for families of critically ill children, particularly when they are traveling far distances. This expansion allows families to set aside some of the worries that come with seeking medical care away from home and focus on what’s most important: getting their child healthy.
RMHC is a special place. Lives are changed for the better thanks to the spirit of hospitality and generosity within our community. We are grateful for all of you that invest in our mission. Through your gifts of volunteer service and financial and in-kind support, your heart makes our house a home.
A special thank you to our contractor, Chad Bartholomay, and the generous individuals and organizations who contributed to this project:
• RMHC Global
• Colin & Kristina Neuharth in honor of Kathryn Neuharth
• Chuck and Bethann Crary
• Joe and Marie Talley and family in memory of Ryan James Meade
• Crosses for Cameron in memory of Cameron Bolton
• Gary and Judy Kubalak in memory of Charity Mae Kohlman
• Faithkeepers in memory of Faith Westby
• ADPi
• Twitch Music Community
• Solid Comfort
• Tempur-Pedic
• La-Z-Boy
• Sherwin Williams
• Numerous Anonymous Donors
After
Bathroom
Giving Hearts Day Recap
It’s a wrap! Giving Hearts Day is in the record books and your incredible generosity is now hard at work serving families with critically ill children.
Giving Hearts Day only comes once a year, but the outpouring of support from our community fuels our mission all year long as we provide comfort, stability, community, and hope. This year, more than 700 donors showed their Heart of a Hero by donating to RMHC of the Red River Valley on Giving Hearts Day. Our most sincere thanks to our hundreds of friends and supporters—our heroes—for your generosity! Your gifts to Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley
help keep families together and provide the comforts of home while their kids receive medical care. Special thanks to Nodak Insurance Company, Dakota Medical Foundation, and two anonymous donors for providing matching funds this year.
We’re also grateful to our Gratitude Ambassador team and all those who made Giving Hearts Day a festive day at our House: Caitlin Stoecker, Razor Consulting, Skip Espeseth, Shauna Wimer, Deanna Nordling, Kay Exner, Delaney Rick, Katie Rizzo, Jeremy Ostrowski and the fabulous team at Tellwell
Sweetheart Ball Recap
On February 12, over 450 Ronald McDonald House supporters gathered for the 33rd Annual Sweetheart Ball presented by McDonald’s Restaurants of the Red River Valley. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us either in-person or online!
Guests enjoyed the ever-popular silent and live auction, a heads and tails game, Bubbles and Bling contest, photo booth, and live music from The Deadbeats. The program featured updates from board president Katie Rizzo and Executive Director Jill Christopher along with a heartfelt mission moment from Luann Nelson. Over the course of almost four years, the Nelson family stayed at our Ronald McDonald House 91 nights while their youngest son, Lawson, received the care he needed to conquer cancer. After getting a glimpse into the Nelsons’ RMHC experience, attendees were inspired to contribute to our Share A Night fund, which helps ensure that families can stay with us regardless of their ability to pay. In a matter of minutes, attendees raised enough to fully fund the costs associated with providing a guest room to a family in need for 509 nights.
Our deepest gratitude to our Sweetheart Ball Committee for planning and executing this year’s event. An event like this doesn’t just happen; it takes a lot of hard work and preparation. From planning the menu to decorating the venue, this group spends countless hours putting together an amazing evening. Fantastic job—we appreciate all of your hard work!
Committee Members
Alyssa Davis Amanda Buth
Blomberg
Werlinger
Hatfield Katie Bjornson Laura Kleihauer
Penny Schellack Randylyn Dombek
Savageau Sheri Batesole
The Nelson Family
“I am a retired RN with most of my career spent working in labor & delivery. I have a heart for parents & families with newborn babies that need a little extra TLC. I enjoy visiting with parents and hearing their stories. I share their excitement as their babies make progress to going home soon. I enjoy making them comfortable in their space in the RMHC Family Room, allowing them to relax, have a meal or snack or maybe just have some much needed downtime.”
- Donna Aho
“After many years of Happy Harry’s partnering with RMHC on many events, I felt it was a great opportunity and organization to expose my son to what giving back to those in need is all about. Being able to share our time as a family at the RMHC is time well spent that we will always cherish.”
- Jay Odland
RMHC Volunteers
Volunteers are essential to providing families comfort and support during their stay at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley. By sharing their unique talents, time, and hearts, volunteers truly make our house feel like a home for our guest families. As we celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Month, we want to recognize the generous hearts in all of our volunteers!
Essentia Health
“I can’t imagine the stress and burden the children and families go through, and this is my small way of helping them and hopefully shouldering some of the load.”
- Skip Espeseth
Blue Cross Blue Shield
21
stAnnual
RMH Ride
Saturday June 11th , 2022
VFW, New York Mills
Plans are underway for the 21st Annual RMH Ride. The festivities include camping, live music, silent auction, raffle, delicious dinner and an amazing ride winding its way through the beautiful woods and lakes of central Minnesota. This event is planned and coordinated by RMH Ride, a 501c3 non-profit organization, with proceeds benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley.
Learn more at rmhride.com
23rdAnnual Ronald McDonald House Golf Tournament
Monday July 18th, 2022 Meadows Golf Course, Moorhead
Save the date “Fore” fun! The Annual RMHC Golf Tournament is coming up on July 18th, 2022. We can’t wait to see you at the Meadows Golf Course. Registration opens May 15.
Check out www.rmhcfargo.org for more information or contact Jakelle at 701-232-3980 or jakelle@rmhcfargo.org. Sponsorships are currently available!
