Jessica Ronne’s caregiving journey began with a devastating diagnosis during a routine ultrasound in 2004. Doctors informed her that her unborn son, Lucas, had suffered a stroke while still in the womb. They offered little hope and suggested termination. However, Ronne and her husband decided to trust in their faith and chose life for their son, leaving everything in God’s hands.
Lucas was born on August 12, 2004, “screaming with life,” and from that moment, Ronne became a “forever caregiver.” Despite Lucas’s profound disabilities, which would require lifelong care, she was filled with gratitude for the miracle of his birth.
Her life was further tested when, a few years later, her husband was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. Over the next three years, they fought the cancer while raising four young children, including Lucas. By 2010, Ronne found herself a widow at 33, raising four children under the age of 7.
In the face of grief, she found strength in her children and in her faith. “My kids got me out of bed every day,” she says. “I promised my husband our children wouldn’t lose two parents.” With God’s guidance, Ronne pushed through the darkest times, always living for her children and leaning on faith for the strength to keep moving forward.
Today, Ronne is a fierce advocate for parent caregivers, a community she feels remains largely invisible. After the death of her first husband, she met Ryan, a father who had also lost his wife to cancer. They married in 2015 and expanded their family, which now includes 10 children.
As the founder of The Lucas Project, Ronne works tirelessly to raise awareness for families like hers, offering support and resources. “The world just isn’t made for families like ours,” she says. Through her organization, she provides care packages, resource databases, and support groups for caregivers, and produces documentaries like Unseen: How We’re Failing Parent Caregivers, which highlights the isolation and mental health struggles these families face.
Ronne also calls on the Church to do more for these families. She believes that while churches may hesitate due to fear of the unknown, simple acts like mowing lawns or delivering meals can be a tremendous help. “This is the work Jesus did,” she says, urging congregations to step out of their comfort zones and support those in need.
Through it all, Ronne has come to view caregiving as a holy calling. “Caring for another individual is the holiest work we can do this side of eternity,” she reflects. This perspective forms the heart of her book Caregiving with Grit and Grace, where she encourages caregivers to find purpose in their work, even when rewards seem distant.
In February, Lucas transitioned into a group home—a decision Ronne never imagined making but ultimately one that has allowed both him and the family to thrive. While it has been a period of adjustment, the peace and rest it has brought to her family have been invaluable.
As National Caregivers Month shines a light on the millions of caregivers in the U.S., Ronne urges society to step up and support those who care for children with special needs. “We’re not fine,” she admits, acknowledging the exhaustion caregivers face. “Let people bless you, step into your circumstances, and provide some respite.”
For Ronne, this mission is not just about her own experience but about making the struggles of all caregivers visible. “I hope caregivers feel permission to feel anger, joy, pain,” she says. “It’s the holiness of what we do, day by day, that binds it all together.”