Donnie’s Family Room offers comfort and legacy at AdventHealth East Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. — Almost a decade after his passing, Donnie McFarland’s legacy lives on at AdventHealth East Orlando.

The hospital recently unveiled Donnie’s Family Room — a respite room named in memory of McFarland, a beloved critical care nurse known for his compassion, faith and ability to connect deeply with patients and families.

“Why we chose Donnie ... I could tell you stories about him for hours,” said Kelly Bassett, director of critical care services and respiratory therapy. “We started at a time when new nurses weren’t hired into the ICU. They only brought in experienced nurses — and Donnie was one of those. So, for many of us, especially the leadership team now, we saw him as a mentor.”

McFarland served the AdventHealth East Orlando community for more than 10 years before passing away from pancreatic cancer in 2016. His legacy continues to inspire a generation of caregivers who followed in his footsteps.

“He taught us about treating the whole person and the family.” - Kelly Basset, director of critical care services

“He taught us not just clinical, but he taught us about compassion,” Bassett said. “He taught us about treating the whole person and the family. In the ICU, patients don’t always speak, they don’t always talk to you. So, he showed us how to care for the families, too.”

Donnie was known for singing to his patients, comforting loved ones, and building authentic connections with those around him.

“He taught us how to really care for mind, body and spirit,” Bassett said. “He was funny, he was compassionate, and he was genuine.”

The new room, located near the hospital’s intensive care unit, was years in the making. Bassett said she and the chaplain team had discussed the idea for a long time but didn’t have the resources until recently.

“We wanted to provide a place that families had a moment to get away,” she said. “We deal with people making decisions at the most critical times of their lives — life and death decisions or being here for weeks. We needed a space not just for the patient, but for the family.”

When she brought the idea to hospital leadership, Bassett said the response was immediate.

“We talked about it one week, and they were looking at it the next,” she said. “We’re very blessed for that.”

Respite rooms offer a quiet, restorative space for loved ones navigating some of life’s most difficult moments. Studies show that access to calm, private environments in hospitals can reduce anxiety, ease emotional distress, and provide both emotional grounding and spiritual reassurance during times of uncertainty — and that’s exactly how Donnie’s Room feels, with a photo of him smiling warmly and a white carnation playfully held between his teeth.

The dedication ceremony included remarks from hospital leadership and McFarland’s family, along with live music and a blessing. Family members described the room as a meaningful tribute — both to the community and to Donnie’s memory.

“We are just so very honored as a family that AdventHealth would do this for the families in the ICU, but also in Donny’s honor,” said Tina McFarland, his widow. “Very humbling and very beautiful to us.”

“I think it would mean a place to have peace, a place to have comfort,” she added. “The smile on his face on the picture in the room gives you hope.”

Donnie’s son, Jeff McFarland, said seeing the room brought powerful emotions nearly a decade after his father’s death.

“This has been nine years since he’s passed away,” he said. “So, to see this happening almost a decade later, it just... it’s so impactful. And it just shows that his legacy is lasting.

“He just had a way with others,” Jeff added. “He was able to touch their lives, and he just had compassion. He was able to show the compassion of Christ. He just had that gift.”

Designed as a sanctuary for whole-person care, Donnie’s Family Room reflects AdventHealth’s mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ — not just for patients, but for the loved ones who walk alongside them.