Howell Brown III shares his journey surviving a brain tumor and finishing chemotherapy at Ronald McDonald House, where he bonded with nurses, family, and other guests over remote-control car races, hockey games, and shared meals. The community became his home away from home during treatment.
How's your trip been, Howard? It's been good. It's H-O-W-E-L-L. H-O-W-E-L-L. All right, guys, good evening.
Good evening.
This is Howell Brown III. He's been in Duke Hospital. He's living at the Ronald McDonald House. Our friends at the Ronald McDonald House have really taken care of Howell and his family.
I had a brain tumor, but I'm get— I don't have it anymore, but I'm getting chemo and then I should be all done. I'm gonna go back home to my cows and do my hay and my farming. And this is my last week of chemo today and tomorrow and the next day, so I'm excited about that.
Hywol Brown is one of the more interesting people that I have ever met, period. Whether they have been 90 or 9 made no difference. I met Howell over here. He was in a stage where he really was kind of upset about some of the medicine he was taking, and we had to have a conversation about that. And, you know, I was supposed to come over here and encourage him. Before it was over with, I mean, I was 10 feet tall. I was the one being encouraged, and I just was touched by Howell. I think all of us have. All of us that have seen Howell, met Howell, listened to Howell came away, walked away a better person for it.
Howell's a fun-loving, caring individual who has a funny side too. I've got a trend going with these remote control cars. Started out with one and now we got 4 or 5 of us and we rip up the parking lot.
People like Adrian and Brandy here, even though it's under very stressful circumstances. It's amazing how people from completely different geographic areas, completely different socioeconomic areas, can find a common thread to form that friendship. And with them, it's remote control racing.
When the twins got to the hospital, I met Miss Gina. She's been by his side since the very first room he was in.
She thinks it's her baby, but he's really mine. I'm his primary nurse, and I'm in love with him. Since he was born, I've taken care of him. And even if I have other jobs like I do today— today I'm the Even though I'm not the primary stabilization nurse, I'm going to all the deliveries, I still have loving rights, and I tell everybody that first thing in the morning. I'll be in at some point to love on my baby.
Even in the most trying of times, people, people are still encouraging no matter what. It's very encouraging to talk to somebody who has similar issues to you, or even different issues, just to have that other person to talk to can make you feel better.
People bond here simply because they meet people that they can relate with, and even if the situations are not similar, it's that it puts a perspective on their own personal situation.
We are cooking dinner right now. We got some rice, some chicken. Chicken pot pie is today's menu. Hal Brown is the most amazing person on the face of the planet. He knows everything about tractors. He's educated me about tractors. I know from this much to that much about tractors now.
I was approached by one of the staff members who was in his treatment team that he was a great big hockey fan. And we have a real good working relationship with some of the people that work with the hockey team. And they wanted to know if we ever got tickets, Could we call and get him to a game? So he and his family went to the Hurricanes game, you know, got to meet Ron Francis. Just, it was just perfect. Went down and got to talk to some players, and they just treated him like royalty. He's a terrific kid.
Yeah, well, sometimes a strong ingredient in healing is to be able to forget what you're going through and to concentrate on something more positive. And that just helps you through the process.
Are you in the mood to sing a little bit of Kenny Chesney or Dukes of Hazzard?
Dukes of Hazzard.
Dukes of Hazzard.
It's a good old boy, wouldn't change him a cud. Back in the system like a 2-wheeler, red and hood.
Yeehaw! Lord, we pray for him. Let us not take nothing for granted. So we thank you for— he blessed us tonight. So we pray that you be with his family, be with him. We pray this in your name. Amen.
Ronald McDonald's Home Away from Home.
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday to you. It's just a beautiful and wonderful place to be. Home away from home. It's always loving, caring people there. You meet all different types of people. People you never expect to meet, you, you meet there.
