Girl born at McDonald's returns to celebrate her 10th birthday with people who delivered her

For Eleanor Evenson and her family, McDonald’s isn’t just a place for burgers and fries—it’s where Eleanor’s life began. In an unforgettable turn of events, Eleanor’s mom, Clare, gave birth to her at the fast-food chain in 2014, as reported by KARE 11. To mark the 10th anniversary of that extraordinary day, the family returned to McDonald’s to celebrate Eleanor’s milestone birthday.

In 2014, Clare, who was traveling with her mother and husband, stopped at McDonald’s to use the restroom. Reflecting on the life-changing moment, a teary-eyed Clare recounted how she felt "literally two little feet popped out” when she entered the restroom. Further, "Notoriously, McDonald’s has really clean bathrooms,” Clare added on a lighter note.

At the time of the incident, Evenson's father, Eric and his mother-in-law who were waiting for Clare at the parking lot, began to think about what was taking her so long in the washroom. The duo then decided to check on Clare and got out of their car only to hear her screaming.

Eric rushed to his wife’s side, moving her from the stall to the bathroom floor as someone called Centennial Lakes police officer Angi Kruyer for help. “When I threw open the door, what a sight it was, I just started barking orders,” Kruyer recalled. Another female customer at McDonald's retrieved a blanket from her car and helped Clare lay on it. With the assistance of her mother and Officer Kruyer, Evenson was finally born. However, their happiness was short-lived, as Evenson was not breathing. Clare recounted, “And when she was out, Officer Angi and I worked together to resuscitate her." Clare, a registered nurse, performed chest compressions to help her daughter breathe. Evenson was later taken to the hospital where she was found to weigh just two pounds.

After her birth, Evenson overcame several health issues. She spent the first 113 days of her life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Gillette Children’s Hospital. But, little did anyone know that it was just the beginning of a long health battle. She was re-admitted to the hospital a dozen times after that. Nurses were appointed for her at home until Evenson started kindergarten. Diagnosed with a chromosome abnormality meant she needed several surgeries and years of therapy.

After all Eleanor had endured, her parents wanted her 10th birthday to be unforgettable. And what better place to celebrate than McDonald’s, where it all began? It was their first trip back to that place, 10 years after Evenson's birth. As she entered the restaurant, she was surprised by her grandparents and cousins who were already present for the birthday party. Apart from Evenson's family, Officer Kruyer was also present who took her into a protective hug and said, “Hi, birthday girl, how are you? Look how tall you are!”

Further, “I'm not a nurse, I'm not a doctor, I'm just a cop, but she's my success. She’s healthy, she’s 10. I never thought 10 years ago that we would see this day,” the proud officer, now working for Metro Transit, added. To make the day even more special, McDonald's surprised Evenson with a birthday cake and a present. An emotional Clare was seen talking about how kind people at the food chain were as she spoke,  “I supposed you would remember someone giving birth in your McDonald’s but they were so kind and so welcoming, and now,” she laughs, “I've destroyed the place twice.” It was such an extraordinary experience to witness the small yet memorable birthday celebration of Evenson with the people who brought her to the world.