Amy Beethe entered the pre-op room and saw a very thin boy, with the sheets pulled up to his chin. He was 4 years old, facing a cardiac catheterization, and had no one by his side.
Amy is a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist at Children’s Nebraska in Omaha. That night, she told her husband Ryan what she had seen. He summed it up in one sentence: they knew they needed him in their family. They had already fostered and adopted three children, and with True, according to the Washington Post report, the decision felt obvious. They fostered him and later adopted him.
True was born with a complex congenital heart condition and still needs a heart transplant. His cardiologist, Dr. Jason Cole, explains that getting on the list requires a strong support system after the operation, something True did not have before. “I think he is alive today because Amy and Ryan stepped up and welcomed him into their home”, he said. The Beet hes also helped True’s five siblings find permanent homes.
True, who is now 9 years old, says just one thing: he is grateful to his mom and dad.