10 Mar A Home Away from Home for Harley and Her Family

On September 29, 2018, Harley Moua, 2, suffered a severe spinal cord injury in a tragic car accident. Doctors and specialists gave Harley, then an infant, a 1 percent chance of being able to walk.

The Moua family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia while Harley was treated at the local Children’s Hospital. The family’s search for advanced treatment brought them to Atlanta and our Ronald McDonald House near Scottish Rite.

“This is the nicest Ronald McDonald House we’ve ever stayed in,” says Ka Bao, Harley’s mom. “It gives us a place to live. We don’t have to worry about where we are going to stay, eat, or how we’re getting to the hospital for Harley’s therapy.”

The one word Ka Bao uses to describe our House near Scottish Rite is peaceful. She also says it reminds her of her home in Greenville, South Carolina. Ka Bao is grateful for the consistent hospitality and humility that Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities’ staff and families show.

“I’m so grateful for Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta because without both organizations we would have never discovered such advanced resources that improve Harley’s capabilities,” Ka Bao says.

Specialists will work with Harley in robotics therapy until she is old enough to attend day rehabilitation. During her time in Atlanta, Harley has demonstrated the ability to shift her weight and swing her hips. As her therapy progresses, Harley will work on transferring, moving from one location to another, on her own.