Connor's Story

In an instant Connor Yeargan’s life changed forever.  Eight-year old Connor was an active and playful child. He played sports and enjoyed hanging out with his 5 year old brother Davis.  One afternoon as the family was enjoying a leisurely day outside, Connor’s dad, Victor was mowing the lawn and the boys were outside playing.  Connor approached his dad from behind unexpectedly while he was on the lawnmower and a quick turn later, the lawnmower had severed Connor’s foot.  The family acted quickly to manage the wound as they rushed Connor to the nearest hospital. Once doctors determined the severity of the wound, Connor was airlifted to Children’s Hospital at Erlanger.  Connor’s parents, Victor and Dana drove to the hospital with the help of a relative. 

Doctors told the Yeargans, that Connor had suffered several broken bones and his right leg and foot had been shattered.  Several surgeries later, doctors were able to save his foot but his right toe was beyond repair.

During Connor’s three-week stay in the hospital, the Yeargans stayed across the street at the Ronald McDonald House.

“The Ronald McDonald House has been a godsend. Three weeks at a hotel at $55 a night would have been a small fortune,” says Victor Yeargan.

Victor says during the first few weeks of Connor’s hospital stay, he took time off from his job as a pharmaceutical sales representative to be with Connor. He and his wife, Dana, a school teacher in Rome, Georgia were able to spend time helping their son recover.  In the meantime, a relative took over the care giving responsibilities for their younger son, five year old, Davis.

The Yeargans were able to eat dinners together at the Ronald McDonald House, which gave them some normalcy during a traumatic time.

“It’s a stress reliever, one less thing you have to worry about.”

Victor says before the accident, they knew very little about the Ronald McDonald House but now that they have had to use “the home away from home” they are looking forward to giving back to help other families.

The Yeargans adopted Connor from Guatemala when he was 9 months old.  They had tried unsuccessfully for years to have their own child and just a few years after Connor’s adoption, Dana gave birth to Davis.

Connor’s parents say he still suffers from panic attacks as a result of the accident. He is scheduled to receive two surgeries a week for the next two months to repair his foot. Connor gets around now in a wheelchair but hopes to get back into the swing of things in the near future.