A family is sharing their story of heartbreak and joy after losing one son and gaining another.
Katie and Josh Butler of Nashville, Tennessee, welcomed baby boy Dewey in May 2015. He was born with a rare genetic disorder and lived for only 100 days.
The couple told WLBT that it was a devastating time, but the experience of caring for Dewey perfectly prepared them to care for a baby they later adopted from the same hospital.
After Dewey's death, a nurse told them about another baby at the hospital who had similar medical issues as Dewey, the "Today" show reports. The nurse said the baby's family abandoned him.
Katie and Josh fostered and adopted the baby boy, Braxtel. He’s now 2 years old. He relies on a breathing tube to get enough oxygen and communicates with his parents through sign language.
"Caring for Brax has not in any way replaced our loss of Dewey," Josh told "Today." "Rather, Braxtel has given us a reason to keep fighting and to keep loving. It would be so easy to lose hope and to be depressed. Even though we tend toward selfishness, Braxtel helps us to remember that our lives are not about us first but putting others first."
Josh competed on "American Ninja Warrior," where people fell in love with the family's story.
“Through sharing our story on 'ANW,' we want others to know that there is a purpose to your life, that God has a purpose for you, in the good and especially the bad,” Josh said.
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