The House’s First Guest
In mid-October 1990, four-year-old Daniel Bailer became very sick with pneumonia and was admitted to Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. What began as a hospital stay quickly became a long and uncertain time for his family. Daniel spent nearly 50 days in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and about 70 days total in the hospital.
At the time, the Bailer family lived in Dalton, about a 45-minute drive away. Renee stayed in Chattanooga during the week while her husband continued working. Each night, she slept in the PICU waiting room, resting in chairs and using a public restroom to shower. Most of her time was spent just outside Daniel’s room.
Daniel’s condition became critical. He needed a ventilator and later a tracheostomy, which extended his stay. Through it all, Renee relied on the nurses and doctors caring for her son. “The nurses and doctors became my lifeline,” Renee said. “They knew I was sleeping in the waiting room chairs every night.”
About a week before the Ronald McDonald House® Greater Chattanooga officially opened, founding director Jane Kaylor and hospital staff approached Renee and asked if she would like to stay at the House. “I’ll never forget that moment,” Renee said. “They told me I could come over and sleep in a real bed, and I said, ‘Take me!’ It was like a godsend.”
Renee was hesitant at first to leave the hospital, even briefly, but staff reassured her she was in good hands and Daniel was only steps away. She was given a pager in case Daniel needed her and knew security could get in contact if anything happened overnight. She agreed and became the first guest to ever stay at the House.
Renee stayed for about a week in a handicap-accessible room with a private bathroom, shower, and bed. For the first time in weeks, she was able to rest. “The peace and quiet were incredible,” she recalled. “I’d been surrounded by people and hospital noise for weeks. To sit on a couch, to breathe, to feel cared for—it was life-changing.”
Today, Daniel is 39 years old. He is wheelchair-bound but healthy and works as a sculptor and artist, creating and selling his artwork.
“It was like angels sent me there,” Renee said. “That place gave me rest when I didn’t know how I was going to keep going. It will always hold a special place in my heart.”
