Omaha Boy with Congenital Heart Defect Finds Loving Adoptive Family

True's imperfect heart leads to adoption by pediatric anesthesiologist Amy Beethe and her husband Ryan

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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True, a 9-year-old boy born with a severe congenital heart defect, has found a loving adoptive family in Amy and Ryan Beethe after initially meeting Amy, a pediatric anesthesiologist, when he was 4 years old and undergoing heart surgery. True is one of the roughly 1-in-110 children born with a congenital heart disease, and his condition requires multiple surgeries and an eventual heart transplant. Despite his health challenges, True is described as a true inspiration who pushes life to its limits, playing sports like basketball with his new siblings. The Beethes not only adopted True, but also his biological sister, and have helped place True's four other biological siblings with other family members, keeping the whole family together.

Why it matters

True's story highlights the challenges faced by children born with congenital heart defects, as well as the power of adoption to provide loving homes for children in need. It also demonstrates the compassion of medical professionals like Amy Beethe, who went beyond her role as a doctor to welcome True into her family. True's resilience and positive attitude in the face of his health struggles serve as an inspiration to all.

The details

True was 4 years old when Amy Beethe, a pediatric anesthesiologist, first met him in the hospital before he underwent heart surgery. She was struck by the fact that he was all alone, with no family present. True was born with a severe form of congenital heart disease called hypoplastic right heart syndrome, where one side of his heart is underdeveloped and has to do twice the work. After the surgery, Amy told her husband Ryan about True, and they immediately fell in love with him. By February 2021, True was staying with the Beethe family, and they soon after adopted him. The Beethes didn't stop there - they also adopted True's biological sister, and helped place his four other biological siblings with other family members, keeping the whole family together.

  • True was 4 years old when Amy Beethe first met him in the hospital before his heart surgery in January 2021.
  • By February 2021, True was staying with the Beethe family.
  • The Beethes adopted True shortly after he started staying with their family in February 2021.

The players

True

A 9-year-old boy born with a severe form of congenital heart disease called hypoplastic right heart syndrome, where one side of his heart is underdeveloped and has to do twice the work.

Amy Beethe

A pediatric anesthesiologist who first met True when he was 4 years old and undergoing heart surgery, and later adopted him.

Ryan Beethe

Amy Beethe's husband, who also fell in love with True and helped adopt him.

Dr. Jason Cole

A pediatric cardiologist and the medical director of Advanced Pediatric Heart Failure & Transplants at Children's Nebraska, who has guided True through his multiple heart surgeries.

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What they’re saying

“He's a true inspiration to us all, and we get strength watching him go through his battles and then also seeing his successes as well.”

— Dr. Jason Cole, Pediatric Cardiologist (ketv.com)

“We don't love True's heart disease. We know like it had a bigger purpose, you know, so it it was meant to be.”

— Amy Beethe, Pediatric Anesthesiologist (ketv.com)

“We went up and met True in the hospital, and it didn't take long to fall in love with him and know that he needed him in our family.”

— Ryan Beethe, Husband of Amy Beethe (ketv.com)

What’s next

True will eventually need a heart transplant, as his multiple heart surgeries are only temporary fixes. The timeline for when he will need the transplant is still unclear, but the Beethe family is prepared to continue fighting for True's health.

The takeaway

True's story is a testament to the power of adoption and the resilience of children facing serious health challenges. Despite his imperfect heart, True has found a loving family in the Beethes, who have not only adopted him but also his biological siblings, keeping the whole family together. True's positive attitude and determination to live life to the fullest serve as an inspiration to all.