It doesn't take long to see that 5-year-old Emmy Reim is a shining star at the Ronald McDonald House Delaware, where she and her parents have become regulars.

"It really is a home away from home," Alison Reim, Emmy's mom, said. 

This special relationship started three years ago when Emmy had open heart surgery to repair her aortic valve. 

"You don't know what to think, you kind of go numb on the inside thinking, OK, how can we get through this?" Emmy's dad, Brandon Reim, said. 

Emmy's parents stayed at the Ronald McDonald House while she was recovering nearby at Nemours Children's Hospital.

"It was beyond what we could have ever expected," Alison Reim said. "It takes the stress off of us because we were so worried about her. We didn't have to worry about anything while we were here, which was amazing."

Emmy is recovered now, and when she has checkups with her Nemours doctors, the family, who lives two hours away in Millsboro, Delaware, always stop by to bring donations.

"It just makes sense for us that this place has truly touched our lives in more ways than one and has truly helped our family," Alison Reim said. "So why not give back to such an amazing organization?"

Their donations include everything from snacks and toys to cleaning products.

"The house has always been there for us, and we are always happy to be there, to return to the house by making donations in any way we can," Brandon Reim said.

And they've helped raise money for the organization, including by making and selling "heart warrior" t-shirts, which raised $2,000.  

Donations are critical for the Ronald McDonald House, which provides housing for families when their children are hospitalized.

And for all the kids who stay at the house, there are plenty of activities. The playroom is a favorite for Emmy. 

"She is so strong-willed and is able to do everything like a normal kid. She's playing t-ball. She's swimming, she's gonna do dance this fall," Alison Reim said. "She's just, she's amazing. She's absolutely just one tough kid."

Heart in the House highlights the essential support Ronald McDonald House chapters provide to families across the Greater Philadelphia Region, New Jersey, and Delaware. To make a donation, visit heartinthehouse.org.