Close Ad

Parents Surprise 2-Year-Old Son Born With Cleft Lip With Puppy Just Like Him
Untitled design (5)
Family

Parents Surprise 2-Year-Old Son Born With Cleft Lip With Puppy Just Like Him

Being born different can take a toll on children and parents are well aware of that. Brandon Boyers' 2-year-old son Bentley was born with a cleft lip, a condition that can occur when tissues do not join correctly during development.

This results in an opening in the upper lip, which can sometimes reach all the way to the nose. While it can be rectified through surgery, it still leaves behind a visible scar.


One day, when Brandon visited the Jackson County Animal Shelter looking to adopt some chickens, he came a cross a very special puppy. Immediately, he thought of his son.

Bentley already had 2 surgeries

Brandon's wife, Ashley, learned of her son's condition 20 weeks into the pregnancy, after an ultrasound revealed that Bentley would be born with a cleft lip. Since his birth, he has had 2 surgeries to correct the condition.

Despite the difficulties of his condition, Bentley never lost his spirit.

When he was first born he struggled eating, he was in the NICU but ever since his surgery he's completely fine. He is the best kid ever. If you go outside to do chores, he gets upset if you don't ask for his help.

Watch this Goalcast video for more parenting tools:

A puppy just like him

At the animal shelter, Brandon called Ashley as soon as he saw the puppy with a cleft lip, just like his son. "I said, 'I want her for the sake of Bentley,'" Ashley Boyers told Good Morning America.

The Boyers officially adopted the puppy on September 4th. As soon as Bentley saw her, they immediately connected.

"When Bentley came in to meet the puppy, we had tears in our eyes," said Lydia Sattler, animal services director of Jackson County Animal Shelter. "He was loving her and she was just eating it up. They were a perfect match for many reasons."

They're the best of friends. If Bentley is playing on the playground she's next to the slide waiting for him to come down. They do everything together.

Ashley Boyers

They named the puppy Lacey, and now the two are inseparable.

Celebrate your child's differences

With Lacey, Bentley would grow up feeling less alone in his difference. Both Brandon and Ashley jumped on the chance to make their child feel comfortable in his own skin and ensure that he will grow up to embrace his difference.

As parents, it's important to create an environment where children feel honoured in their differences and strengths. Whether it's through a puppy or small actions of encouragement, it all counts to help them grow into the best versions of themselves.

More uplifting news:

Hot Stories

Why Jennifer Hudson Forgave Her Mother's Killer -- Life Stories By Goalcast

At the peak of her career, Jennifer Hudson faced a horrific family tragedy. Hudson's mother and brother were brutally attacked in their family home, and her seven-year-old nephew was kidnapped. What followed was a heart-wrenching manhunt to rescue her nephew and seek justice against the man who took her family. Hudson speaks from the heart in this video on what happened to her family and how she was able to move forward.

Celebrities
People smiling in unison united
Racism Quotes

Racism is considered the marginalization and/or oppression of people of color based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that privileges another race. The term is applied in many areas of a society that perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race or strengthen racial inequalities in education, health care, income, and civil rights.

Ever since the 20th century, the concept of biological race is considered a cultural invention that has no scientific basis. The progress over the past half-century has been impressive, but the nation still has a long way to go to reach true racial equality.

Keep ReadingShow less
Everyday Heroes
hands are put together as part of community volunteer efforts
Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

A community is so much more than people sharing a space. It's a living, breathing network of connections and shared experiences. While it's usually defined as “a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common,” true community runs much deeper than that.

Diversity

Keep ReadingShow less
Quotes