Boston Doorman Helps Sick Child Living At Hotel Get New Puppy
BOSTON (CBS) - In a world that can overwhelm us with problems, it's good to know you can find kindness and generosity, even among people who started out as strangers. Case in point, the story of a Boston hotel doorman, a sick child from Washington, and his new and special friend.
It's a friendship created by circumstances. Michael Eades has worked as a doorman at the Fairmont Copley Plaza for 20 years, and 12-year-old Brandon Leach has lived at the hotel with his mother since January, while being treated at Mass. General Hospital.
"I have Mitochondrial Disease. It can make me feel really nauseous, and sometimes I can have fevers," Brandon says.
Eades befriended Brandon and his family. "He's got a real strong character and a big heart," he says.
Michael noticed the youngster loved playing with Carly, one of two Black Labs that are "ambassadors" at the hotel. "There were many days when Brandon was sick in his room and didn't want to come down and the only way we could get him down was to have him come down and see Carly," says Eades.
That's when Michael got the idea that Brandon needed a dog of his own. "Like Carly. He wanted a Carly dog," says Eades.
Other employees and a few guests chipped in, Michael found a breeder with a new litter in Pennsylvania and this week he made the 11-hour round trip, surprising Brandon with a Black Lab puppy. "I couldn't believe she was mine. It was a dream come true. I wanted a puppy for so long and now it finally happened because of the generosity of this hotel," Brandon says.
He named his new friend Copley. "That's what this is all about. It's about Brandon's smile. That's what I wanted to see. That's why I did it," Michael says.
Brandon and his parents hope they can go home to Washington, DC in a couple of weeks, with the newest member of their family. They can't say enough about the people at the hotel, and the care he's receiving at Mass General.
Information about Mitochondrial Disease: United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation
