Doctor adopts little boy who faced heart surgery all alone: ‘It was meant to be’

OMAHA, Neb. (KETV) - A young Nebraska boy with congenital heart disease went from lonely hospital rooms to a loving family when his doctor adopted him.

When pediatric anesthesiologist Amy Beethe first met True, he was 4 years old in a hospital room at Children’s Nebraska. The little boy was born with hypoplastic right heart syndrome, or HRHS, meaning the right side of his heart is underdeveloped.

“He was sitting there all alone,” Amy said. “It took me back that this 4-year-old was going to go through heart surgery, and no one was there.”

Five years later, True is 9 years old and pushing life to the limit despite his congenital heart disease. His last name is also Beethe - his anesthesiologist adopted him.

After meeting True, Amy couldn’t shake the sight of the little boy all alone and ended up telling her husband, Ryan Beethe, about him.

“We went up and met True in the hospital, and it didn’t take long to fall in love with him,” Ryan said. “We knew we needed him in our family.”

That surgery was in January 2021. By February, True was staying with the Beethes, and soon after, he was adopted.

“There are so many people who need the extra help,” Ryan said. “To fulfill their lives and the trickle effect it has – they make us better people. You can’t imagine your life without him.”

“We don’t love True’s heart disease. We know it had a bigger purpose, so it was meant to be,” Amy said. “He’s truly become my son. I would battle for him like anybody else when it comes to his health. Yeah, you’re a mama bear, and you fight hard.”

From a life of lonely hospital rooms, True now has the love of a large family.

“It’s been good because they’re nice and caring,” True said. “They’re my mom and dad.”

In fact, the Beethes also adopted his sister, one of his five biological siblings. Two of the others were adopted by another anesthesiologist at Children’s Nebraska, one by Amy’s sister and one by Ryan’s brother – keeping the whole family close by.

“We found a home for everyone,” Amy said. “It’s like one big extended family.”

But True’s fight is far from over. While he’s undergone multiple heart surgeries, he will eventually need a transplant.

“We’re trying to buy him as much time as we can until he’ll eventually need a heart transplant,” Amy said.

The Beethes know that day is coming, but they don’t know when. Until then, they’re all embracing True’s attitude.

“Keep going and don’t stop,” True said.

True is one of the roughly 1-in-110 kids born with congenital heart disease. That’s about 40,000 births per year, according to the American Heart Association.