In 2017, on a hot summer day, Marissa Hernandez’s world shifted. Her little brother developed yellow skin and yellow eyes, and her family had no idea why. As his older sister, she remembers the fear vividly. “We frantically came over here, not knowing what we were about to walk into,” she recalls. Doctors quickly diagnosed him with a condition requiring a bone marrow transplant. What followed was months of uncertainty, long hospital stays, and endless worry for the Hernandez family.

They were not from Dallas, and the distance from home only compounded their stress. At first, the family stayed in hotels, which quickly drained their resources. Each day they left the hospital not knowing what kind of news awaited them the next morning. The weight was overwhelming. That is when a child life specialist introduced them to the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas.

The House became their refuge. “We stayed here for about six months,” Marissa says. “This place was home. We ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner here. This is where we laid our heads down every single day.” For a family far from their own beds and routines, the House offered stability and comfort. It gave them space to breathe. It gave them a community of people who understood what it meant to live day by day, waiting for good news.

The volunteers and staff were more than caretakers. They became part of the Hernandez family’s story. Each meal prepared, each smile offered, and each small act of kindness helped transform fear into resilience. “It was such a wonderful place to be,” Marissa says. “The staff and the volunteers here made all the difference.”

After six months, her brother received his transplant. The donor was her older brother, and today, her younger brother is completely healthy. The experience left a permanent mark on Marissa. She realized how critical it was for families like hers to have support when facing their darkest moments. She also realized that the Ronald McDonald House was not just a place to stay. It was a lifeline.

Years later, when the time came to consider her own career path, Marissa felt called back to the House that had sheltered her family. In January, she joined as an intern, eager to give back to the same community that had once embraced her. “I quickly figured out that this is the place I’m meant to be,” she explains. Her internship led to a position as Volunteer Services Assistant, and she was quickly promoted to Volunteer Services Coordinator a few months into the job. She now plays an active role in creating the same atmosphere of comfort and compassion that her family once relied on.

Her story is a rare full circle. She began as a worried sister, scared for her brother’s life. She became a guest who experienced firsthand the comfort of being welcomed and supported. Now, she is a member of the team, helping ensure that other families feel the same sense of belonging her family once did.

Marissa’s journey is a testament to the lasting impact of the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas. The meals, the safe beds, the smiles from strangers who became family—these are not fleeting comforts. They plant seeds of resilience and gratitude that grow for years. For Marissa, those seeds blossomed into a calling.

Her voice carries gratitude not only for her own family’s experience but also for every donor and volunteer who makes the House possible. “Thank you for making it possible for families like mine,” she says. “We were traveling hours, multiple days a week, just to be here. This place gave us a home. There’s no way to put a price on that.”

Today, as she walks the halls of the House as a staff member, Marissa sees reflections of her own family in the parents, siblings, and children who arrive frightened and unsure. She greets them with the same warmth she once received, ensuring that no family feels alone in their journey.

Because once you are part of this House, you are always family.