ATLANTA — Any day together is a great day, no matter where they are.
Difficult times in life have taught the Johnson family that perspective.
“He is such a sweet boy,” Molly Johnson says as she gives Billy a kiss on the head. “He beat all kinds of odds to be where he is at now.”
She is grateful to be at Atlanta’s Ronald McDonald House during the COVID-19 pandemic. At such an uncertain and scary time for the most medically fragile, Johnson is thankful to feel safe.
“I can’t even express what it means to know we are in the safest place we could possibly be," she said. “People would think I would be most afraid because he is the highest risk there is, but we know we are protected here.”
In his 12 years, Billy has had a heart transplant, battled lung conditions, and is now recovering from his second kidney transplant.
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He had the surgery just before hospitals temporarily stopped doing many surgeries. Billy got a donated kidney from is dad, Mark, shortly before the shelter in place started. His parents and his older sister traveled from North Carolina to Atlanta just in time.
The Ronald McDonald House is like a second home to them. Doctors found his heart condition while his mom was pregnant. Over the years, they have spent hundreds of nights together at the Ronald McDonald House.
“We’ve been coming here since before Billy was born," Molly said. “This is our third transplant; and if you add up all the nights we’ve stayed here over the course of his life, it’s almost at 500.”
But they've never stayed there under the additional stress and uncertainty that comes with a pandemic. Molly said they're more thankful than ever for the sense of security the Ronald McDonald House gives them.
“Now even more so; I can’t imagine how scary it would be to have to leave here and travel back and forth and the risk that it would pose to him," she said.
The shelter in place for people with medical conditions, like Billy, and for seniors who are also more vulnerable to the novel coronavirus continues through May 13.
During the shelter in place there were 35 families at the Atlanta RMHC Houses. Many, like Billy, are immunocompromised.
To protect the families and prevent the spread of COVID-19, Atlanta RMHC had to make the difficult decision to limit the families at their houses to those who were already in their care.
The charity found new ways to meet the critical needs of families currently in their care, and those who will soon need their services.
Their COVID-19 Response Fund has raised more than $50,000 and helped 27 families who have needed lodging in April with hotel accommodations and other support.
They continuing to provide meals, support and housing to those currently staying at their houses on Gatewood Road and Peachtree Dunwoody Road.
The Johnson family is in no rush to get out and about. They are content and thankful to stay put.
“They have been wonderful to us and all the families, absolutely wonderful,” Molly said.
Billy is getting stronger. His family is grateful to be together – to be safe – no matter where they are and how long it takes.
Photos: Family of child transplant patient thankful to shelter in place at Ronald McDonald House
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