When Jeff Bekos’s 13-year-old daughter, Hailey, suddenly fell into a coma from a rare brain illness, his world stopped. For 254 nights, the Ronald McDonald House near her hospital became home for his family, offering comfort during their darkest days. A decade later, Jeff turned his gratitude into action by biking 4,600 miles across the U.S. to raise awareness and funds for the organization that helped them heal. What began as one dad’s mission became a powerful tribute to resilience, love and the families who never stop fighting.

A father’s nightmare: Hailey’s unexpected illness

At 13, Hailey Bekos was a typical, energetic teenager, until suddenly, she wasn’t. What began as a normal morning at the breakfast table quickly turned into a nightmare as she developed stroke-like symptoms that worsened rapidly. 

Within days, Hailey fell into a coma that would last for four months.

“I mean, how do you go from completely normal one day to absolutely upside down the next?” her father, Jeff Bekos, recalled. “It was just…unbelievable.”

Hailey was ultimately diagnosed with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, a rare autoimmune disease that attacks the brain. 

At the time, there were only around 200 cases of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis worldwide, with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) specialists having seen about 20. Hailey’s case was one of the most severe and ranked as the second most critical.

“During that horrific time, there was a point where the doctors told my wife and me that Haley was probably not going to live,” Jeff recalls. 

Hailey’s treatment plan included extensive hospitalization and rehabilitation. During her long battle, the Bekos family, including Jeff’s wife and their son, Brendan, found refuge at the Ronald McDonald House near the hospital.

“Room 37 became our home for 254 nights,” Jeff said. “Ronald McDonald House’s work is so important because, as we learned, it’s not just your child that’s sick, it’s your whole family that becomes sick.”

Turning trauma into purpose: One Dad’s Mission is born

That experience planted a seed. A decade after Hailey’s illness, Jeff turned his gratitude into action. He launched One Dad’s Mission, an over 4,600-mile cycling journey across the U.S. to raise funds and awareness for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) in time for the organization’s 50th anniversary.

“I’ve been a cyclist for a long time. So I said, ‘Well, why don’t I do a ride, a bicycle ride, across the country to raise awareness, volunteerism and money to keep the houses going for another 50 years?’”

Over 60 days, Jeff visited 26 RMHC locations, supported by a small crew and generous sponsors like XPO, TeamLogic IT and more. The mission raised over $700,000.

Beyond fundraising, the ride became something deeper. “It was cathartic,” Jeff said. “I didn’t listen to music. I just listened to the earth, the wind and saw the beauty of our country by bike. It really was an emotional and healing journey.”

For Jeff’s family, his ride was a journey they experienced through him and will never forget.

“It was really cool seeing him put it all together,” Hailey said, reflecting on her dad’s solo efforts to recruit sponsors, manage social media and plan the massive bike ride. “I was tearing up a lot… It was such a special moment.”

The emotional journey of healing and hope

For the Bekos family, Hailey’s illness and now Jeff’s mission reshaped their family dynamics in powerful ways.

“I was there for Hailey every minute of the day,” Jeff said. “Holding her while she was fading away… it was horrible. But we grew stronger. I think it’s brought our whole family closer.”

Hailey agrees. “There’s a statistic out there that says when your child gets sick, the divorce rate is super high,” she said. “That just shows how strong our family is. We’ve always been close, but this made us even closer. It taught us not to take anything for granted.”

Jeff and Hailey have also become sounding boards for other families navigating medical crises. “We met a ton of families on the road,” Jeff said. “I’d tell other dads: it’s okay to cry, it’s okay to talk. Vulnerability doesn’t mean weakness. You’ve got to communicate, one step at a time.”

For Hailey, now a young adult, those years of adversity offered hard-won perspective. “You realize who you can trust,” she said. “People were there when I was really sick, but dropped off when I started getting better, even though I was still recovering. Now, as an adult, I feel like I can spot who is going to be a true friend or not.”

Beyond borders: A continuing mission

Jeff’s advocacy didn’t end in the U.S. In June, he and a team of five other cyclists will represent One Dad’s Mission at a 24-hour charity cycling event in the Netherlands, riding 310 miles to support RMHC’s 12 Dutch houses.

“We were invited to go over there to continue One Dad’s Mission, to share our story and help them raise money for the offices there,” said Jeff. 

Jeff is applying hard-earned lessons from his U.S. ride. “Hydration is key. You get behind and it’s hard to catch up. You’ve got to fuel right: carbs, protein and rest when you can. There are massage stops and places to take power naps. We’re doing it nonstop, but safety comes first.”

The mission has evolved into a larger message of resilience and support, not just for Hailey, but for countless families facing the unthinkable.

“This whole thing has taught me how strong people can be,” Jeff said. “And how much we need each other. At the end of the day, we can all be a little kinder. We can all help each other.”