Colleen on Ronald McDonald House Parade Float

Dec 2, 2020

Vibrant and sparkling describe both Colleen and Chicago’s Magnificent Mile Lights Festival in 2019. The parade started on Michigan Avenue, lighting one million lights along the way. The procession featured spectacular floats, helium-filled balloons, marching bands—and our very own Colleen on the float for Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Explained Jack Gilhooly, Development Manager, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana: The float was co-sponsored by Texas de Brazil and the Mag Mile Association. Each year we are allowed to invite up to 15 past or current family members and RMHC staff to ride on the float. Colleen was the perfect fit as both a past family that had stayed with us as well as a great representative for RMHC as the Volunteer Committee Co-Chair for Red Shoe Society. It was a long day for her…but she was sending me texts about how great it was! Colleen was the best and her presence on the Red Shoe Board is clearly missed.

Colleen was allowed one guest and chose her best friend, her mother, Christine. Christine remembers the event as so much fun! Colleen loved downtown Chicago, most especially at Christmas. She spent time inspiring the younger transplant patients on the float, whose parents found her example comforting.

Christine wrote at the time, “So proud of you, baby girl. Me, Mike, Michael and Blake stayed at the Ronald McDonald house a few nights after Colleen’s second transplant. A wonderful facility and such a wonderful gift to families going through such difficult times with a child in the hospital.”

Sadly, in hindsight, we now know Colleen was already developing transplant coronary artery disease at this time.