Danielle is the mother of three children, Ayden, Mackenzie, and Myla. Mackenzie is her middle child who was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Eosinophilic Esophagitis at a very young age. This causes her to constantly be in and out of the hospital and it is necessary for Danielle to be at home to care for Mackenzie.

Often times having a child with an illness who requires a lot of attention puts a strain on a relationship. When this occurred to Danielle, she and her children were left with nothing; no place to live, no furniture, no reliable transportation, no bank account. In 2011, Hands Across the Bay was touched by their story and have been involved in their lives ever since. 

To date, we have assisted Danielle and her family with numerous items to stabilize their situation, including furniture, food, a car for her son Ayden, annual Christmas gifts and school assistance, utilities, after school care and family fun days where they can relax with no worries and just be kids. 

Today, in 2023, Mackenzie is 16 years old and has endured over 90 surgeries in her life. She is a WARRIOR who inspires us every day with her strength, resilience, humor, and positive attitude despite the difficult battle she faces daily with her chronic health issues. We have seen her grow up right before our eyes, as she first came to Hands Across the Bay when she was only 4 years old. 

When feeling down about her health issues and bullies at school, Mackenzie became a Hands Across the Bay Kindness Warrior volunteer. This gave her an avenue to turn her pain into purpose. Mackenzie began volunteering weekly with our organization, leading countless Kindness Missions in the community. Her efforts continued to inspire our community, and in 2019 she was awarded “Kindness Warrior of the Year!” 

We ask everyone to keep Mackenzie in your prayers! She is constantly in and out of the hospital without answers or solutions. Sending so much love to Mackenzie and her family… today and everyday!