12 Nov A Love Story: From a McDonald’s Take-out Window to Weeks at Ronald McDonald House

As teenagers, Johnny Acosta and Maria Bautista met while working at a Yuma-area McDonald’s more than 17 years ago. Little did they know they would fall in love, marry, start a family… and one day rely on Ronald McDonald House Charities as a home away from home while their infant son fought for his life.

Baby Ozzie, the couple’s third son, was born in September 2023. Ozzie was a one-pound micro-preemie, born at only 25 weeks gestation due to low amniotic fluid and preeclampsia. Days before giving birth, Maria was transferred from Yuma to a Phoenix-area hospital by helicopter to give Ozzie the best chance of survival.

Since they were so far from home, Johnny and Maria were referred to Ronald McDonald House for a place to stay while Maria recovered, and baby Ozzie fought to survive.

“We didn’t know what was going to happen,” said Johnny. “Were we going to have to rent a hotel room? Live in the car? We were without income. There wasn’t any extra for a place to stay or things to eat while we were in Phoenix. Ronald McDonald House gave us a place to stay and meals at no cost.”

Ozzie spent three months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Valleywise Hospital. After about six weeks, Maria and Johnny had to return to Yuma to work, while Ozzie remained in the NICU.

“Every time we went home, Maria was devastated because we were leaving the baby behind,” said Johnny.

For the remainder of Ozzie’s hospital stay, the couple traveled to Phoenix every weekend, staying at Ronald McDonald House, and then returning to Yuma for the work week. The couple brought their high school and middle school-age sons with them to visit Ozzie whenever possible.

“When our older boys came with us, it was almost like a mini getaway,” said Maria.

Finally, on December 23, the family rejoiced as Ozzie was discharged and sent home just in time for Christmas. He weighed six pounds.

The family spent a wonderful two weeks together and decided to go shopping for a new family vehicle in Phoenix in early January – when Ozzie stopped breathing at a car dealership. A 911 call and emergency room visit ensued – then days after his discharge home to Yuma, he needed an emergency helicopter ride to another Phoenix hospital where a cyst was removed from his lung.

For the first several months of 2024, he and his parents needed to travel to Phoenix for follow-up care every few weeks. Now, nearly a year later, they’re down to one visit every four months or longer. The family has spent more than 80 nights at Ronald McDonald House since Ozzie was born, and they continue to stay at the House every time they must travel back to Phoenix.

“The staff has always been great,” said Maria. “I feel like we’ve become family and friends – they all know us. They come see the baby. Ozzie sees the staff at Ronald McDonald House and smiles because he knows them.”