2026 F A M I L Y
P R O F I L E
Herrell Family Home: Niangua, MO (Webster County)
“I spent most of my pregnancy terrified. I struggled with
bleeding nearly the entire time, but on July 8, 2025, the bleeding became more severe than it had ever been before. We rushed to the hospital and learned I was in preterm labor. The doctors did everything they could to stop it, but only managed to delay it for a few short days. On July 12, 2025, our son, Braxton, was born at just 29 weeks, weighing 3 pounds, 8 ounces. We knew he would be taken straight to the NICU—the doctors had prepared us for what to expect—but nothing could prepare us for the reality. I had imagined holding my baby for the first time, feeling his warmth against my chest. Instead, I watched as he was placed into a plastic bag and rushed to an incubator, surrounded by a team of NICU doctors and nurses. All I could think in that moment was that my husband needed to stay with him, to be my eyes and ears, because I couldn’t go with them and had no idea what was happening to my tiny boy. When we checked into the Ronald McDonald House in Springfield, Missouri, everything finally started to feel a little less impossible. After the tour, I got into the car and broke down in tears—not from fear this time, but from relief. The House was built for families like ours, for moments exactly like this. They provided us with meals so we didn’t have to worry about cooking after long, exhausting days in the NICU. They gave us a clean, quiet place to rest. They created spaces for our children to still be children—a playroom and playground that our 7-year-old loved using when he stayed with us, and a pull-out couch where our older boys could sleep in the same room with us. Just across the road was the hospital, meaning we were never far from our son as he fought bravely in the NICU for 67 long, difficult days. More than a place to stay, RMH gave us a support system—a community of families who understood exactly what we were going through. Today, Braxton is doing absolutely amazing. He now weighs 13 pounds, 4 ounces, is 22 inches long, loves all three Cars movies, thinks his big brothers are hilarious, and his favorite thing to do is eat. Although he still takes medication for high blood pressure—something we remain hopeful he will outgrow—he is strong, happy, and thriving. When you donate to the Share-AHeart campaign, you aren’t just buying a paper heart. You are giving parents a little bit of peace during the scariest moments of their lives. You are giving families a place to stay together. You are giving strength to children like Braxton, who prove every single day that even the tiniest hearts can be incredibly mighty.”
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