For Adam and Candice Sears, life in Pāpāmoa was all about sunshine, surf, and family adventures.

But that all changed in an instant when one of their children was struck by a rare and aggressive brain infection – and within hours the situation spiralled into a fight for his life.

One evening in December last year, Maceo, 6, suddenly began vomiting and became critically unwell.

He was rushed to the Emergency Department at Tauranga Hospital, where his condition deteriorated rapidly.

“We were just shocked at how quickly it all happened,” dad Adam recalled this week.

“But in that moment, all we could think was that we had to be strong for him.”

By the next day, Maceo was moved into intensive care.

Arrangements were made to airlift him to Auckland, and to keep him safe during the flight, doctors placed him into a coma.

Once he arrived at the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), the team immediately made an incision in his skull to drain fluid from his brain and relieve the pressure. He began receiving IV antibiotics and a long, uncertain wait started.

Over the next few days, Maceo was gently woken – but his parents had no idea who they would get back.

Maceo in hospital. Photo / Supplied

When he finally opened his eyes, he was blind in one eye, deaf in one ear, and unable to walk.

“It was terrifying but every day, the team helped him take tiny steps. We clung to every bit of progress,” Adam said.

Slowly, Maceo’s body fought its way back.

After a month in Auckland and Tauranga Hospital combined, he was discharged.

He steadily improved, his sight and hearing returned, and soon he was running again, laughing with 5-year-old brother Raife, and playing with friends.

“We’re very lucky,” Adam said quietly. “We don’t take that for granted.”

During those long, frightening weeks, Ronald McDonald House became the family’s anchor, he said.

With Raife being non-verbal and sensitive to changes in routine, staying together was essential – but without Ronald McDonald House, it wouldn’t have been possible, Adam said.

“The house meant we could all be together.

“Raife needed us just as much as Maceo did. [Ronald McDonald House] made that possible.”

Their stay also happened to be during Christmas, a time they expected to feel overwhelming and heavy.

Instead, it became unexpectedly magical. The house was warm with decorations, lights, and festive cheer. Volunteers prepared a Christmas meal, Santa visited, and Raife even received gifts.

“It gave us a bit of normality at a time when nothing was normal,” Adam said.

“Raife got to have an actual Christmas. It meant the world.”

Raife at RMHC over Christmas. Photo / Supplied

But the heart of their experience was the people.

“The staff and volunteers – honestly, they were incredible,” Adam recalled.

“When we first contacted them, they told Candice not to worry, that they’d take care of everything. And they really did. They let Raife run around without worry, they were always there for a chat, and they just made us feel at home.”

Looking back, the family said they couldn’t imagine how they would have coped otherwise.

“It was a month over the holidays,” Adam said. “We would’ve had to travel back and forth, adding so much stress. We were already exhausted. [Ronald McDonald House] kept us together.”

They were grateful not just for the accommodation, but also for the connection they found there.

“We met other families who were going through the same nightmare,” Adam shared.

“We cried together, supported each other.”

The family said they were sharing their story as the holiday period began to raise awareness about Ronald McDonald House and the work the organisation does.

Adam offered heartfelt thanks to supporters who made it possible.

“Thank you for supporting this amazing group of people.

“Ronald McDonald House gave us, and continues to give hundreds of families, a roof, support, and the space to focus on what matters most – your sick little person. We are eternally grateful.”

Adam Sears with son Raife at RMHC during Christmas. Photo / Supplied

During last year’s holiday period (December 1, 2024 to January 31, 2025), Ronald McDonald House Charities NZ provided 6650 nights of support to 822 families. On Christmas Day alone, 86 families spent the holiday at a Ronald McDonald House.

“Over the past couple of years, rapid population growth and improvements in healthcare research have led to increased demand for paediatric health services,” chairman Ben Rose said.

“The number of families needing support has significantly increased and we’ve reached a point where we may not be able to accommodate every family that needs our support, as we simply don’t have enough rooms.”

Ronald McDonald Houses across the country host Christmas celebrations each December, complete with shared meals cooked by volunteers, music, face painting and activities to give children and siblings some festive cheer.

“A lot of these families have other children who still deserve a wonderful Christmas,” Rose said. “We want to give them comfort, connection and a sense of home – even when they’re far from it.”

With demand rising and the costs of both on-site and off-site accommodation increasing, Ronald McDonald House Charities NZ is calling on New Zealanders to help ensure no eligible family is turned away this Christmas.

“To keep every family close to their child this Christmas, we need the support of generous Kiwis,” Rose said. “A donation means a family will have somewhere to stay when they need it most.”

More info and to donate: rmhc.org.nz.

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