The Shutwell Family’s Story
Many families who stay at Ronald McDonald House Madison know the Shutwell family from their son’s namesake program – Augie’s Lunches with Love. What they may not know is that Augie’s family also once walked in their shoes.
Melissa and Nick Shutwell first learned about our services when their newborn son, Augie, was facing a long list of medical complications. During those six weeks, as they navigated care between two hospitals and tried to stay present for every moment of his care, our Family Room at St. Mary’s offered a way to remain close to Augie without sacrificing their own basic needs.
They remember the small moments most: volunteers greeting them with kindness, the quiet of a closed door, and the reassurance of being only steps from Augie’s bedside. Those moments mattered during days defined by exhaustion and uncertainty.
As Augie grew, his medical journey continued to demand strength – multiple surgeries, respiratory illnesses, and ultimately emergency open-heart surgery at American Family Children’s Hospital. With his heart repaired, Augie finally had the chance to thrive.
Years later, when the House was expanding and Nick was serving on our Board, the Shutwells looked for a way to give back that reflected their own experience. They kept returning to Lunches with Love, remembering the relief of a ready‑to‑go meal during long hospital days. That memory became the foundation for the renamed Augie’s Lunches with Love, a program that now carries his name and extends care to families walking their own difficult paths.
There is something profoundly special about this full-circle relationship. Ronald McDonald House Madison was there for Augie’s family when they needed support most. Today, they help ensure other families feel that same care, comfort, and closeness. Their generosity – and the generosity of every donor, volunteer, and supporter – creates the small moments that families remember years later.
Today, Augie is a healthy, energetic 10-year-old whose resilience reflects just how far he has come. His story reminds us that the impact of this support stretches far beyond a single moment. It stays with families. And it can inspire them to pass that love forward.