Hope Under Every Roof
Southern Roofing and Exteriors
At Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga, we believe that our mission works best when it feels like family and few reflect that spirit more beautifully than the team at Southern Roofing and Exteriors.
For the past year and a half, Chris and DeeDee Dyer along with their son and C.E.O, Terrell, have shown up faithfully through our Adopt-A-Meal program, preparing dinner once a month for the families staying at our House. DeeDee plans the meals, cooks them with care, and brings a sense of comfort that can’t be measured in servings. “Children are my heart,”
DeeDee shared. “RMHC has always been on our radar — we’re just grateful for the opportunity to give back.”
Their impact doesn’t stop in the kitchen. It’s woven into their company culture.
A few weeks ago, one of their team members, Josh, started volunteering with us for Adopt-A-Meal and something clicked. After helping serve dinner, he came back for more: supporting our BugaPalüza event, helping at the front desk, and even bringing his fiancée, McKayla, to serve alongside him.
What Josh shared afterward left us teary eyed. “These people are putting families together.”
He said that being here and seeing the mission in action — gave him the confidence to propose.
But what makes Josh’s story even more powerful is what brought him here.
When Josh was 12 years old, he collapsed after a cold cross-country meet. What followed was a sudden diagnosis of pectus excavatum, a severe chest wall deformity that required major open-heart surgery. Doctors placed a stabilizing bar across his chest, and he spent seven months on bed rest. During that time, with 75 miles between their home and the hospital, Josh’s family, his parents and two younger siblings, stayed at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Piedmont Triad in Winston-Salem, North Carolina for six days.
Now, years later, he’s back in a Ronald McDonald House — not as a patient or a guest, but as a volunteer. A giver.
We’re so grateful to the Dyer family and Southern Roofing and Exteriors for the love they’ve poured into our mission. From meals, to memories, to moments of connection that remind us why we do what we do.
They are, in every sense, helping us keep families together.
After giving birth at eight months and undergoing an emergency C-section, Toni Ann Johnson learned her son, Azari-Asher, would need to stay in the NICU. With limited mobility, her team at Erlanger referred her to Ronald McDonald House so she could remain close while recovering. “I stayed for almost three weeks and it was the best experience having gone through that painful ordeal,” Toni Ann said. “I remember how safe and welcoming the environment was and the staff was always there to greet us with a smile or give us extra treats.” Having a place so close to the hospital gave her comfort during a difficult time. “The biggest help was the convenience of it all being so close and not feeling lost or like you’re going through it alone,” she shared. “The whole experience was such a blessing and memorable; it meant the world to me just to be able to talk and share laughs with the staff and other families there,” Toni Ann said. “Not having to think about anything apart from rest and your baby was the ultimate gift and we are forever grateful to RMHC.” Today, both Toni Ann and Azari-Asher are healthy and thriving.
In mid-October 1990, four-year-old Daniel Bailer became very sick with pneumonia and was admitted to Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. What began as a hospital stay quickly became a long and uncertain time for his family. Daniel spent nearly 50 days in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and about 70 days total in the hospital. At the time, the Bailer family lived in Dalton, about a 45-minute drive away. Renee stayed in Chattanooga during the week while her husband continued working. Each night, she slept in the PICU waiting room, resting in chairs and using a public restroom to shower. Most of her time was spent just outside Daniel’s room. During their stay, Daniel’s health quickly became extremely critical. He was placed on a ventilator, taken off, then put back on again and later required a tracheostomy due to recurring pneumonia, which extended his stay even longer. During that time, Renee relied heavily on the nurses and doctors caring for her son. “The nurses and doctors became my lifeline,” Renee said. “They knew I was sleeping in the waiting room chairs every night.” About a week before the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga officially opened, founding director Jane Kaylor and hospital staff approached Renee and asked if she would like to stay at the House. “I’ll never forget that moment,” Renee said. “They told me I could come over and sleep in a real bed, and I said, ‘ Take me!’ It was like a godsend.” Renee was hesitant at first to leave the hospital, even briefly, but staff reassured her she was in good hands and Daniel was only steps away. She was given a pager in case Daniel needed her and knew security could get in contact if anything happened overnight. She agreed and became the first guest to ever stay at the House. Renee stayed for about a week in a handicap-accessible room with a private bathroom, shower, and bed. For the first time in weeks, she was able to rest. “The peace and quiet were incredible,” she recalled. “I’d been surrounded by people and hospital noise for weeks. To sit on a couch, to breathe, to feel cared for—it was life-changing.” Today, Daniel is 39 years old. He is wheelchair-bound but healthy and works as a sculptor and artist, creating and selling his artwork. “It was like angels sent me there,” Renee said. “That place gave me rest when I didn’t know how I was going to keep going. It will always hold a special place in my heart.”
