‘It was hope’: Local family works to make sure kids can spend time with pets in hospital

CINCINNATI (WKRC) – After the loss of their son Brayden, who passed away while waiting for a heart transplant, the Otten family has embarked on a mission to bring joy to children facing similar challenges.

Inspired by Brayden’s love for his dog, Dugan, the family has established the Brave Like Me Foundation to ensure that hospitalized children can spend time with their pets.

Brayden, who was born with a congenital heart defect, spent 86 days in the hospital. During that time, a reunion with his beloved dog stood out as a moment of pure love and hope.

“There were no words that were said between those two. It was pure love. It was hope,” said a family member.

The Brave Like Me Foundation has created a new dog park in Wyoming, Ohio, and is launching a mobile pet reunification trailer to visit hospitals nationwide.

“This room is not just a place where a child gets reunited with their own dog in a box. Inside is colorful. They really feel like they’ve escaped the confines of the sterile walls of the hospital,” said a family member.

Currently, only two children’s hospitals out of 200 across the country have spaces for such reunifications.

“It only takes a moment to fill your heart, and that moment is what we’re trying to create,” said a family member.

The foundation aims to provide hope and joy to children in hospitals, continuing Brayden’s legacy of love and friendship.

“It really is a legacy that we hope lives on forever,” said John Otten of the Brave Like Me Foundation.