In an extraordinary act of compassion, Dr. Amy Beethe, a pediatric anesthesiologist in Omaha, Nebraska, adopted a five-year-old heart patient named True after discovering he had arrived alone at the hospital for a major surgery in January 2022.
The child, who was in foster care at the time, had no parent or guardian present before the procedure. The moment left a lasting impact on Dr. Beethe and eventually led her and her husband Ryan Beethe to welcome the boy into their family. The couple formally adopted True 19 months after they first met him.
The life changing moment happened when Dr. Amy Beethe walked into a hospital room in January 2022 and saw True sitting alone before surgery.
True had been brought to the hospital for a complex heart procedure but had no parent or adult by his side. Normally a caseworker from the foster system would have accompanied him, but the caseworker was unable to attend due to COVID related restrictions.
Dr. Beethe later recalled how deeply the moment affected her, saying she could not stop thinking about the young child facing a life threatening surgery without family support.
The surgery itself lasted seven hours.
After completing her work in the operating room and ensuring the boy was stable, Dr. Beethe called her husband Ryan and told him about the situation.
True was born with severe congenital heart disease, a condition that requires multiple medical procedures and long term care. Doctors have said that he may eventually need a heart transplant as part of his treatment.
Dr. Jason Cole from advanced Pediatric Heart Failure and Transplant Program at Children's Nebraskaa pediatric cardiologist involved in the boy’s care, explained that a supportive family environment can play a major role in determining whether a child qualifies for advanced treatments such as transplantation.
Dr. Amy Beethe and her husband Ryan Beethe were already licensed foster parents when they met True. The couple had experience caring for children in the foster system and were raising several children at home.
After learning more about True’s situation, the couple decided to bring him into their home shortly after the surgery.
True moved in with the Beethe family as a foster child in February 2022. Over time, the bond between them grew stronger, and the couple began the process of adopting him.
The adoption was officially completed 19 months after the couple first met True in the hospital.
The Beethe household is now a large and lively family. Dr. Amy Beethe and Ryan Beethe are raising eight children, including biological, foster and adopted children.
The adoption also helped keep True connected with his siblings. His older sister Laney was adopted by the Beethe family, while other siblings were adopted by extended family members and close friends so the children could remain in contact with one another.
True’s story has since touched many people because it highlights both the challenges faced by children in foster care and the life changing impact of compassion.
The child who once sat alone before a seven hour heart surgery now lives in a supportive home surrounded by parents and siblings.
The Beethe family recently celebrated True’s 10th birthday, marking a remarkable journey from a lonely hospital room to a permanent and loving family.
(Rh/ARC)
