10 Oct Meet the Guinto Family
At 31 weeks pregnant, flight attendant Melissa Meyer was medically cleared for one last work trip to St. Marteen. Her son Archer had other plans, and Melissa was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital.
In November 2021, Melissa Meyer, a flight attendant from Las Vegas, was on her last work trip of the year in St. Marteen. At 31 weeks pregnant, Melissa had been cleared by her doctor to go on her last trip, before returning home to be with her Husband Dann Guinto as they would patiently await the arrival of their baby boy. Melissa was scheduled to fly home on Thanksgiving Day however, at 3 A.M. on Thanksgiving morning her water broke. Melissa was rushed to a nearby hospital in St. Marteen before being referred to the closest Hospital that would have better care, for pre-term labor mothers.
Miami, FL was the closest city with a Hospital that had the best resources of care and on Friday November 26, Melissa was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital. Dann flew to Miami to be near Melissa and after spending the weekend being treated at Jackson, doctors cleared them to fly back home to Las Vegas on Monday November 29th. At 5:30 A.M. on Monday November 29th, Archer Guinto was born in Miami, FL, almost two months before his due date. Melissa recovered well and was discharged after 2 days of giving birth. Together, they scrambled to find a car rental and hotel nearby the hospital, the rates were extremely high and there was no availability near the vicinity of the hospital. They moved between 3 hotels within the span of just a couple of days and it made it difficult for them to juggle visits and for Melissa to rest and pump as she needed to for the baby. Until finally, a social worker at the Hospital was made aware of their situation and they were recommended to the Ronald McDonald House. “Such a relief this has been!” said Melissa about learning about the Ronald McDonald House.
“Coming in here is like another Home, it’s great!” said Dann Guinto. The Guinto family was able to stay together and in walking distance to the hospital where they were able to visit Archer every day. We are thrilled to have been able to serve them and allow them to focus on the treatment of their baby. After staying 33 nights at the Ronald McDonald House together, they happily went home to January 8th, 2022.