June 4, 2024, is a day Brandon’s family will never forget. One moment, everything was normal. The next, he was being life-flighted to Akron Children’s after a terrible car accident. In those first unbearable hours, his parents could do nothing but hope their son would survive.

After surgery, doctors gave them a small measure of hope. Brandon had made it through, but he was still in critical condition. That’s when a family friend stopped by to check in. Seeing their exhaustion and fear, she gently asked, “Have you considered staying at the Ronald McDonald House?”

They couldn’t think past the next hour, let alone where they’d sleep that night. But their friend made the call, and that day, they were welcomed to the House.

“I was the first to check in,” Brandon’s dad remembers. “I’ll never forget walking through those doors. The staff already knew who we were. They hugged me, handed me the keys, gave me a quick tour and sent me right back to the hospital, because they knew I needed to be with my son.”

The Pittman family and Akron Ronald McDonald House staff

Brandon’s parents shuttled between the hospital and the Akron Ronald McDonald House, sleeping in shifts between the ICU and their room. Their windows faced each other, and they used flashlights to communicate at night—a small beam of light that became a beacon of hope for their family.

One day, Brandon’s dad asked the front desk staff at the Akron House where he could find a nearby drugstore. He just needed a few basics such as shampoo and toothpaste. “Instead of giving me directions, they asked for a list. When I came back later, every item was waiting for me in our room on the kitchen table.”

After six days in the ICU, Brandon was strong enough to be discharged, but his journey wasn’t over. He moved into the Akron Ronald McDonald House with his parents, where they stayed for 110 days. His parents worked remotely from their room while Brandon received outpatient rehab five days a week.

“The Ronald McDonald House gave us more than just a place to stay. It gave us peace. It gave us space to breathe. It gave us hope.” Brian Pittman

Today, Brandon is doing well. He has graduated high school and will be attending the Ohio State University’s Agricultural School in the Fall 2025.