October 2nd, 2025
Our miracle baby, Archer Ronald Mitchler, was born on June 10, 2023 in Milwaukee, WI. He was born at 33 weeks – premature, very ill and diagnosed with a rare condition called Beckwith Wiedemann Syndrome. Archer was fighting for his life and needed to be surrounded by the best care – the medical team at Children’s Wisconsin.
We were 127 miles away from our home, and if this wasn’t hard enough for my husband and me, Archer’s brothers (5, 3 and 1 at the time) needed to be cared for as well. Our social worker suggested we stay at the Ronald McDonald House. Being right across the road from the hospital, we knew this would be the best decision for our family. We were able to be with Archer, get daily reports from the doctors, and Archer’s brothers could be with us at the House.
The moment we checked in, it felt easy and natural. Everyone was so gentle and caring, making sure we felt at home. We got settled into our room and were told supper was going to be served in the Family Dinner Kitchen. But first, we made a trip to the Magic Room. My boys each got to pick a toy and a book and to see their faces light up at such a hard time was so comforting. After all, their lives were just as upside-down as ours were.
Archer’s recovery was very up and down, and unknown at times. It was extremely helpful for my husband and me to be surrounded by people that were going through similar situations. The volunteers’ and staffs’ smiles, care and support truly helped put a little light in our day.
For the older boys, the time at RMHC was happy and easy. From reptile shows and therapy dogs to playgrounds and toys, there were so many experiences they will never forget. They went to a Brewers game, Discovery World and the zoo. Seeing their smiles during such a tragic time helped my husband and I get our mind off of the hospital. Being present in their lives while Archer was sick helped put a smile on our faces as well. The number of good memories we have from our stay help dilute the bad.
Archer was discharged from the hospital after 125 days in the NICU. Today he is thriving – bubbly, outgoing and happy. He loves trying to keep up with his brothers, tagging along to numerous school and sporting events, and best of all, smiling. We will be forever grateful for RMHC and we are so incredibly blessed that we are chasing after our FOUR boys!
This experience has shown us how generous people can be. From donating time, funds, meals and snacks, toys and so much more, RMHC supporters have made us look at life differently. Every June for Archer’s birthday, we take our boys shopping for toys to donate to the Magic Room. We want to teach our boys to give back and to keep their RMHC memories alive so that future families can have the extraordinary experience that ours did.
We cannot thank RMHC and all its supporters and donors enough. The generosity and kindness truly helped our family so much, making such a difficult time easier for us.
