Saskatchewan family spend unexpected Christmas in Calgary after highway crash

Debra Mavin and her family from Torquay, Sask., were driving to visit relatives in Airdrie and Edmonton in October, when their plans changed in a split second.

It happened as they were heading west on the Trans-Canada Highway, just east of Brooks.

"A vehicle in the eastbound lane took a sharp turn out of their lane, through the median, and hit us head-on in our lane," Mavin told CBC News.

Debra, her partner Taylor Monkman, and her oldest son, 13-year-old Dalton, all suffered broken bones. All three were rushed to hospitals in Calgary.

They, along with her three younger children, have been here ever since.

"We were lucky enough to get a bed at Ronald McDonald House the morning after our accident. So it will be six weeks tomorrow that we've called this place our second home," Mavin said in early December.

Debra's collarbone was broken in three places.

Taylor suffered a shattered right ankle, which required surgery, a scalped left knee that required a massive skin graft, a broken left hip and left forearm, which both required surgery, a broken rib, a fractured vertebrae, and a wrist fracture. He's still at Carewest.

Dalton suffered a broken right foot, a broken left femur and left hip, a broken pelvis, several broken ribs, two broken hands, and a traumatic brain injury. He has recently been released from the Alberta Childrens' Hospital.

"[Dalton's] injuries were extremely extensive, so we're just thankful that there's not lasting deficits," Mavin said.

Throughout this long ordeal — through Halloween, Dalton's birthday, and now, Christmas — Ronald McDonald House has been home base. And Mavin says "home" is exactly how it feels.

"Everyone just feels it's like family. It's all the families … and all of the staff and the volunteers and everyone. It's just like one big family," she said.

"And they do it all with a smile. We're a loud, crazy bunch, and they're always smiling at us."

Jason Evanson, the CEO of Ronald McDonald House Calgary, says no child should have to face medical treatment alone. But he says the demand is so much greater than what the facility can handle that almost nine out of 10 eligible families are turned away.