The Hall Family
June 28, 2022

The Hall Family – David, Hannah, Daniel and DJ



The First Stay at the Ronald McDonald House – 50 nights!

David and Hannah Hall are from Cookeville, Tennessee. When they stayed at the Chattanooga Ronald McDonald House the first time, they needed to be close to their newborn preemie twin boys in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger.


Though there were scary moments as each boy was delivered via C-section, they both held on. Daniel was born at 4lbs 4 oz with underdeveloped lungs was on CPAP and IVs. DJ was born weighing 1lb 4 oz and was underdeveloped and needed time to grow and learn to breathe and eat on his own. Even with Daniels underdeveloped lungs, he joined his mom and dad halfway through their stay at the House.


Best memory for these parents: Being able to have a home for [Daniel].


Hannah and David shared: “This is [Daniel’s] first home so to speak…this is where he got his first bath outside the NICU, this is where he got his first bottle after the NICU this is where he will have slept for many nights. Even though our family is not together and we’re missing a piece, he’s still living as normal as possible. I think that’s the best thing about being here, we can give [Daniel] the quality that he deserves.”


The Second Stay at the Ronald McDonald House – 30 nights!


When David and Hannah Hall checked back into the House only a couple weeks later, they were frustrated and scared. When their boys were in neonatal intensive care, they were prepared for that reality during Hannah’s pregnancy. Being back at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger with both their twin boys having contracted RSV every day they went in and the boys were on ventilators and getting blood infusions and were REALLY, REALLY SICK.


Hannah shared just how intense it was for their family:


“There were a lot of days for Daniel and weeks for DJ that we had no idea if we were going to get to take them home. I’m sitting here right now watching my two little boys squirm on the floor and play with toys and there were a few days I didn’t know if that would happen…if I would leave with two babies, one baby or no babies. I’m just really really thankful and David is too and our families for all the love and support that we received while we were there. It made a really traumatic situation a little easier and that’s something we’ll never be able to say thank you enough for!”


What helped the Hall family?


  • Not having a two-hour drive or costly hotel stay.
  • They were close for moments when their baby boys were struggling to hold on.
  • The House was a home for the Hall family and a very difficult situation was made easier by having a “home away from home”.
  • To go take a nap while their parents stayed in the PICU with the boys.
  • “We actually had a bed with pillows and a shower, snacks and things like that.”
  • Homemade meals to come “home” to.


Thank you for your donation! It really does make a difference to families like the Hall’s to be near the medical services their sick children need and to feel secure when their lives have been turned upside down.

By Izabelle Bradley June 16, 2025
This House is much more than a building, it is a place where parents can find peace over a cup of coffee, siblings can make fast friends in the playroom, and a long day in the hospital can end with a shared meal and the comfort of not being alone. Ronald McDonald House hallways have seen spirits break and heal- but one thing stays the same: the families are the heart of the Home. For three and a half decades, RMHC’s mission has remained unwavering: To provide families with the care and resources they need when their child is sick and to support programs and services that directly improve the health and well-being of children. More than just a place to sleep, RMHC Chattanooga offers home-cooked meals, a warm bed, and a supportive community that understands the emotional toll of medical trauma. No matter the length of time or service utilized, the goal is to lift the strain families are facing. Every room in the House holds a powerful story. Some begin with the fear of an early birth, others with a diagnosis no parent expects. In just the first few months of 2025, a mother found rest while her 9-year-old daughter received leukemia treatment next door at Erlanger. She was joined by her two younger daughters, and for 51 nights, this House became their safe place. In another room, a mother stayed close during her newborn’s 112-day fight in the NICU. Her baby boy was born at just 24 weeks. She remained strong, showing up each day alone while dad continued working back home. A few doors down, a family from Rhea County checked in after their newborn’s emergency transfer to the NICU. They stayed for 106 nights, finding strength in the rhythm of close hospital visits, prepared meals, and the community of other parents walking a similar road. These are not rare stories, but the reality inside the walls of RMHC for the past 35 years. From its beginnings as a 12-bedroom house, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga has grown into a multi-program organization focused on meeting families where they are. The Ronald McDonald Family Room at Erlanger extends comfort into the hospital itself, while House to Home provides support beyond a family’s stay. The addition of the Mindful Room offers a quiet, reflective space inside the House designed for emotional rest and healing. This incredible work would not be possible without the generous support of the local community. From corporate sponsors and longtime donors to volunteers and Adopt-A-Meal groups, countless people have played a role in sustaining the mission. McDonald’s owner/operators, in particular, have been an essential part of the organization’s foundation and future, contributing not only funds but also time, heart, and advocacy since the facility’s inception. Since 1990, RMHC of Greater Chattanooga has served thousands of families, each with a story that shaped the organization’s legacy. While the programs may grow and evolve, the aim will always be the same: to support families when they need it most, with compassion, understanding, and care. As RMHC of Greater Chattanooga celebrates this milestone anniversary, it also steps into a new season— one rooted in the same love that has carried the mission since day one. While much has changed, one thing never will: family will always be the heart of the Home.
By Izabelle Bradley April 29, 2025
At Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga, we believe that our mission works best when it feels like family and few reflect that spirit more beautifully than the team at Southern Roofing and Exteriors. For the past year and a half, Chris and DeeDee Dyer along with their son and C.E.O, Terrell, have shown up faithfully through our Adopt-A-Meal program, preparing dinner once a month for the families staying at our House. DeeDee plans the meals, cooks them with care, and brings a sense of comfort that can’t be measured in servings. “Children are my heart,” DeeDee shared. “RMHC has always been on our radar — we’re just grateful for the opportunity to give back.” Their impact doesn’t stop in the kitchen. It’s woven into their company culture. A few weeks ago, one of their team members, Josh, started volunteering with us for Adopt-A-Meal and something clicked. After helping serve dinner, he came back for more: supporting our BugaPalüza event, helping at the front desk, and even bringing his fiancée, McKayla, to serve alongside him. What Josh shared afterward left us teary eyed. “These people are putting families together.” He said that being here and seeing the mission in action — gave him the confidence to propose. But what makes Josh’s story even more powerful is what brought him here. When Josh was 12 years old, he collapsed after a cold cross-country meet. What followed was a sudden diagnosis of pectus excavatum, a severe chest wall deformity that required major open-heart surgery. Doctors placed a stabilizing bar across his chest, and he spent seven months on bed rest. During that time, with 75 miles between their home and the hospital, Josh’s family, his parents and two younger siblings, stayed at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Piedmont Triad in Winston-Salem, North Carolina for six days. Now, years later, he’s back in a Ronald McDonald House — not as a patient or a guest, but as a volunteer. A giver. We’re so grateful to the Dyer family and Southern Roofing and Exteriors for the love they’ve poured into our mission. From meals, to memories, to moments of connection that remind us why we do what we do. They are, in every sense, helping us keep families together.