When Caregiving Means Sleeping in a Van: The Story Behind Daisy’s Place

On this week’s Hope for the Caregiver, I spoke with Carolyn Wheeler O’Byrne from Florence, Alabama—a mother whose fierce advocacy for her 17-month-old daughter, Daisy, turned into a decades-long mission.

Carolyn recounted the terrifying season when Daisy was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, endured failed procedures, experimental treatments that nearly killed her, and infections that pushed her to the brink. Through nights spent in hospital windowsills and even a van in the Vanderbilt parking lot, Carolyn fought for her child’s life with grit and faith.

Now, twenty years later, Daisy is thriving—and Carolyn has transformed her pain into purpose by founding Daisy’s Place, a nonprofit home that provides weary caregivers with food, showers, clean clothes, and, above all, dignity. Instead of parking lot vans, families now find refuge in fully furnished bedrooms, stocked kitchens, and the compassionate presence of someone who truly understands.

This episode is a reminder that caregivers are not alone, that faith sustains when resources collapse, and that one woman’s determination can ripple out to bless countless others.

👉 Listen now and learn more about Daisy’s Place at daisys-place.org

This week on Hope for the Caregiver, I opened the program by discussing my new Blaze Media article, Reckless Hate Cannot Win: Christ Has Already Broken It. The piece grew out of the grief and reflection surrounding Charlie Kirk’s sudden death. Dana Perino’s emotional appeal on Fox for a “circuit breaker” to the fury in our culture resonated deeply with me—but I reminded listeners that no human breaker exists. History shows reform, politics, and revolutions can only reset the current for a time. The real interruption came at the cross, where Christ absorbed the full voltage of human hatred and divine justice.

I drew on Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, where Aragorn responds to Theoden’s dread of “reckless hate” with the charge, “Ride out and meet them.” Charlie Kirk did that in his generation, but even more so, Christ rode out from heaven to confront and conquer hate forever. Luther echoed this courage with “Here I stand, I can do no other.” The hymn he gave the church, A Mighty Fortress, still proclaims: “The body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still.” That’s where I called caregivers—and myself—to stand, not with bravado but with scars, anchored in Christ who rewires the entire system. Hate cannot win.

From there, I introduced my audience to Carolyn Wheeler O’Byrne and her remarkable journey with her daughter, Daisy. Her story of motherly intuition, pushing past dismissive doctors, surviving terrifying nights in hospitals, and even sleeping in a van outside Vanderbilt, is a vivid picture of caregiver authority and sacrifice. Carolyn’s testimony reminded us of the courage every caregiver must summon, often in the most isolating and exhausting circumstances.

We closed with this week’s hymn in our series, Hymns Every Caregiver Ought to Know: “Blest Be the Tie That Binds.” Written by John Fawcett in the 1700s after he chose to stay with a small country parish rather than leave for a prestigious London pulpit, the hymn captures the communion of saints—the bond of love that unites us in Christ. As caregivers, we are not laboring unseen or alone. We are part of that great invisible church, surrounded by a cloud of witnesses who cheer us on like fans welcoming home a walk-off home run.

That tie binds us, sustains us, and reminds us: healthy caregivers make better caregivers.

In this episode of Hope for the Caregiver, I open with the story of a 1950s chemist who failed 39 times before discovering something simple yet world-changing. His quiet persistence became a picture of what caregivers need when our hearts feel rusted and stuck. We can’t muscle our way through this life; we need grace that loosens what strain has tightened.

That theme of letting go of force carries through the whole show. I share a personal story from the 2004 Republican National Convention, when Gracie sang at Madison Square Garden and the White House unexpectedly asked us to stay for President Bush’s speech. While I was panicked and trying to control everything, my father told me, “Sit down and be still.” It became a defining moment—reminding me how often our Heavenly Father speaks the same words into our chaos.

I also reflect on my recent Blaze Media article, “School Shootings and the Street Called Straight,” exploring how Paul faced the full measure of suffering ahead of him and still pressed on. That same Spirit sustains us when the caregiving road looks dark and unending.

Then I share part of my conversation with DJ and Jessica Rowland, a couple navigating Huntington’s disease. Their love, resilience, and commitment to live fully—despite grief and fear—show how loosening our grip can make space for grace.

I close at the Caregiver Keyboard with a hymn every caregiver should know: “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” Written by Helen Lemmel at age 55, this hymn calls us to lift our gaze from what we can’t fix and rest it on the One who carries us.

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I sat down with Dr. Barry Jacobs—a clinical psychologist, family therapist, and fellow caregiver whose story began when his father was diagnosed with brain cancer. Out of that crucible, he has spent nearly four decades helping families navigate the emotional and practical challenges of caregiving.

We talked about the unspoken grief many caregivers carry, why sadness is not a weakness but a source of strength, and how family conflict often masks deeper sorrow. Dr. Jacobs shared powerful metaphors—the “half loaf” of life after disability, the cards we’re dealt and how we play them—and offered wisdom drawn from both his clinical practice and his own scars.

Together, we explored what it means to “respect the trauma,” why caregivers must give themselves permission for joy, and how purpose can grow even out of devastating loss. Along the way, I shared Gracie’s clarity after her 98th surgery—her determination to live, sing, see her grandchildren, and return to Africa to serve other amputees.

Dr. Jacobs also introduced his newest work, The Caregiver Answer Book (AARP/Guilford Press), which offers nearly 150 concise responses to the questions caregivers most often ask. It’s a practical, compassionate resource that belongs in every caregiver’s hands.

As Dr. Jacobs reminded us: “There are no perfect caregivers—only good enough caregivers.” That’s encouragement every one of us needs.

👉 Listen now, share with a friend who’s struggling, and check out The Caregiver Answer Book wherever books are sold.

Caregiving often hides what I call smoldering rage—resentment that simmers quietly until a fresh crisis ignites it like a wildfire. In this week’s Hope for the Caregiver radio show, I open with a monologue about those hidden embers, drawing from Montana’s fire season to show how caregivers can confront resentment and apply God’s grace before it consumes us.

The program closes with a hymn every caregiver needs: “Be Still, My Soul.” Gracie’s a cappella performance of this timeless hymn reminds us that God’s faithfulness steadies us when caregiving feels unbearable and that the daily grind of service is, in fact, holy work.

This episode also features excerpts from my conversation with author and fellow caregiver Jess Ronne, whose story of loss, resilience, and faith offers a powerful reminder that we’re not alone in this journey.

👉 Listen to the full interview with Jess Ronne on the podcast
👉 Read and hear the full interview on Substack

Caregiving has pushed me to the point where I’ve had to ask what I really believe when life gets overwhelming. In this episode, I talk about those moments of faith under fire and share clips from my conversation with author Jess Ronne (Caregiving with Grit and Grace). Jess opens up about raising a son with disabilities, losing her husband to brain cancer, and continuing forward as a caregiver. I close with Blessed Assurance at the Caregiver Keyboard, a hymn that reminds me where to stand when everything feels unsteady.

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Author and caregiver Jess Ronne joins me to share her story and her new book, Caregiving with Grit and Grace. As the mother of a son with profound disabilities and the young wife who walked through her husband’s brain cancer, Jess has lived the struggles many caregivers face but few talk about. Together, we discuss the loneliness of caregiving, special needs parenting, the reality of grief and anger, and the hope that comes through faith in Christ.

This conversation is for anyone navigating the challenges of family caregiving, special needs, or long-term illness — offering encouragement, honesty, and spiritual strength for the journey.

Mike Tyson is famous for saying, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the nose.”

When suffering punches us in the nose, our plans - and clichés - don’t hold. In this episode of Truth Talk Live, I explore why “drive-by ministry” fails and why true comfort begins with seeing people in their pain—just as Christ sees us.

You’ll hear:

• My reflections from the ICU after Gracie’s 98th surgery.

• The danger of empty phrases like “God has a plan” or “just trust Jesus.”

• A listener in tears, struggling to accept God’s forgiveness.

• A reminder from Scripture: not why, but who.

Gracie also sings Breathe on Me, Breath of God a cappella—an anchor of hope in moments when words fail.

If you’ve ever wondered what to say (or not say) when someone is in trauma, this episode points to solid ground in Christ.

ORDER THE NEW BOOK …TODAY!