Cover image: Daisy's Place in Florence, AL / © Daisy's Place

“When you’re waiting on a loved one in the hospital, physical and emotional support matters, but so do basic needs. Where will you sleep? Where can you eat? Where can you find rest in a safe place?”

Those are the words of Carolyn Wheeler, a homeschooling mom of four and founder of Daisy’s Place. What started as a terrifying experience with her youngest daughter over 20 years ago became the spark for a nonprofit mission that now serves caregivers from across the country.

Carolyn’s daughter Daisy was just 17 months old when something didn’t feel right. She had already taken Daisy to the doctor multiple times. Each time, the doctors said the same thing: "She is fine."

“One morning, my oldest daughter had the crud,” Carolyn remembers, “but what Daisy had was different. It had been getting worse, so I decided to take them both in.” The doctor examined them and said the older child was sick and assumed Daisy had the same virus.

But Carolyn’s instincts told her otherwise. “After lunch, I still felt uneasy. I remember saying, ‘If I lay her down for a nap, I’m afraid she won’t wake up.’” Carolyn took Daisy back to the doctor that very afternoon, but once again, her concerns were dismissed.

That night, with a pit in her stomach, Carolyn took Daisy to the ER. They did a quick check and told her everything looked fine. But Carolyn wouldn’t budge. “I told them I wasn’t leaving until they figured out what was really going on,” she said.

After further testing, the truth was finally uncovered: Daisy was in congestive heart failure. Her heart was only functioning at 13%.

What followed was every parent’s nightmare.

Daisy was rushed to a children’s hospital two and a half hours away. Once there, she was given an experimental drug to try to save her life. Instead, the drug caused chemical burns from the inside out. Daisy slipped into a coma. The doctors couldn’t give Carolyn any guarantees, only that they were doing everything they could.

Somehow, Daisy began to slowly recover. But just as there was a glimmer of hope, another blow came. Daisy caught MRSA and nearly died again.

Carolyn and Daisy during her hospital stay / © Daisy's Place

During those long weeks in the hospital, Carolyn stayed as close to her daughter as she could. There was no hotel voucher. No respite. No organized place for a caregiver to stay. So, when some friends, a kind older couple in the area, heard about her situation, they drove their conversion van to the hospital and parked it in the lot, offering it to Carolyn as a place to rest. That van became her home. She curled up in the back seat with snacks and gathered whatever strength she could find, only getting a few hours of sleep a night.

With the support of friends who helped with laundry and meals, and a church family back home checking in regularly, Carolyn held on. Every ounce of energy she had was spent loving her daughter, keeping her family afloat, and trusting God with the outcome.

Over time, against all odds, Daisy’s heart began to heal. Eventually, they were able to return home.

Homeschooling years

However, this wasn’t the end of their journey. Daisy still faced challenges with a suppressed immune system and required regular check-ups. Given these scheduling demands, homeschooling seemed like the best option for their family. Carolyn embarked on the journey with one child in 7th grade, one in 4th grade, one starting kindergarten, and Daisy still under 2.

In the midst of the chaos, Carolyn found a refuge in homeschooling. Its flexibility to adapt their learning schedule around Daisy’s health needs as well as mix and match curriculum for the unique styles of each child was a gift to their family. Tapping into the wisdom of other homeschooling parents, Carolyn discovered the learning style of each child and what sparked their curiosity.

“Some of our best memories were going on field trips and vacations,” Carolyn shared. Homeschooling allowed them to explore museums on quiet weekdays and off-season, visit parks without the crowds to protect Daisy’s health, and turn trips into hands-on learning adventures that made the lessons stick while saving money when prices were lower.

As the years went on and Daisy’s health improved, Carolyn found herself becoming an advocate for homeschooling. She shared her experiences with other families, helping them weigh their options and encouraging them to connect with HSLDA.

Daisy is now 24 years old / © Daisy's Place

“My only regret is that I didn’t get a lifetime membership with HSLDA from the very beginning,” she said. She has found HSLDA an invaluable partner: answering her questions, giving her confidence if legal issues arose (thankfully, none did), and keeping her informed about what was happening in the homeschool world nationally and internationally. It also gave her opportunities to pray for other families who were fighting battles to protect their right to homeschool.

Years of homeschooling have given her deep experience in adapting to challenges, organizing multiple moving parts, and finding creative ways to meet each person’s needs.

Daisy’s Place

As her children graduated from homeschool, she returned to her memories of that hospital experiences years ago—the fear, the exhaustion, and the worry. She decided to turn that pain into purpose.

She founded Daisy’s Place in Florence, Alabama, a home specifically designed to serve caregivers who travel to be near loved ones receiving medical care in the area. Whether it’s an elderly parent in ICU or a spouse recovering from surgery, these caregivers often have nowhere to stay, limited resources, and no emotional support.

Daisy’s Place changes that.

The house has four bedrooms, each with cozy quilts and other thoughtful touches. The kitchen is stocked. There are welcome bags with toiletries and essentials. Most of all, there is peace. Guests are greeted with warmth, understanding, and a sense that they are not alone.

The living room at Daisy's Place / © Daisy's Place

Carolyn doesn’t just run the house; she lives the mission. She meets every guest personally. She listens. She prays with them when they ask. She shares her story, to let them know: “I see you. I’ve been where you are.”

So far, caregivers from 12 states have found rest at Daisy’s Place. Some stay for a few nights. Others, for several weeks. But each one leaves feeling supported and empowered to continue their journey.

In recognition of her community service efforts at Daisy’s Place, she was recently awarded the Shoals Woman of the Year award by her local paper.

In addition to running the nonprofit, Carolyn has also written The Thriving Caregiver book, planner, guided journal, and blank journal, tools she wished had been available during her own caregiving journey. These resources offer both practical guidance and emotional encouragement, helping caregivers stay organized while also feeling seen.

Proceeds from the books go directly to support Daisy’s Place, creating a powerful circle of care: caregivers supporting caregivers.

“I know what it’s like to be tired, scared, and completely overwhelmed,” Carolyn said. “Knowing someone else understands makes all the difference.”

If you’d like to learn more or get your own caregiver resources, visit www.ThrivingCaregiver.com or www.Daisys-Place.org.