Brave Thoughts from Our Co-Founder, John - March 2026
Dear Brave Family,
March came in like a lion and is leaving like a whole pride of lions.
We started big, and we are ending even bigger.
This month was not just Reading Month. It was not just Child Life Month. It was not just Brayden’s birthday month.
It was Brave Month.
It’s the month when we go all out and do the kinds of things others don’t attempt, because the kids we serve live that kind of bravery every single day.
Every year when March arrives, I find myself thinking about what bravery really means. Even though we take on some big goals at Brave Like Me, they are nothing compared to the quiet heroics happening every day in hospital rooms, doctors’ offices, and homes where simply getting ready for the day can feel like a mountain. That is the bravery our kids show. That is the bravery their families show. That is the bravery supporters like you show when you step forward to help carry someone else along the way.
This month started in the best possible way.
At our Book Bash at Kemba Credit Union, more than 100 volunteers showed up with energy, heart, and a willingness to serve. Together, you packed, stickered, sorted, and shipped thousands of books that are now traveling to Ronald McDonald Houses and children’s hospitals across the country.
Big brave steps like this only happen when generous people decide to do small brave things.
Because of partners like Kemba Credit Union, Queen City Book Bank, Linncinnati, Einstein Bros. Bagels, the Cincinnati Reds, and Chick-fil-A, we delivered more than books. We delivered small ounces of courage that will help children and parents be a little braver, a little more hopeful, and hold tightly to love and belief.
And because of you, our Brave Builders who gave your time and your hands to move a mountain of books, Brave Kids from Cincinnati to Alaska to Hawaii will soon be holding stories filled with courage, humor, friendship, and hope.
That is what Brave Month looks like.
March also gives us the chance to celebrate Brayden’s birthday. His life continues to shape everything we do. Brave Like Me exists because of him, but it grows because of you. Every book delivered, every adventure shared, and every reunion between a child and their pet carries his spirit forward in ways I could never have imagined.
This year we also celebrated his birthday with the release of Finnegan the Football, a story I had the privilege of co-writing with Trey Hendrickson. It reminds all of us that being different is exactly what makes us perfect, special, and good.
And something else is happening right now that I want you to know about.
We are building a team.
Not just a staff. Not just a group of volunteers. A team of people who believe that bravery changes outcomes. Nikki and Prateeksha are already helping us expand what is possible for Brave Pets, Brave Friends Adventures, and Brayden’s Books. New board members are stepping forward. Parents are stepping forward. Leaders and partners are saying yes. More communities are opening their doors.
Bravery is growing.
We are building this team because the need is real. And because we believe bravery is not just something we celebrate. It is something we practice together. Bravery is what happens when belief meets hope and finds love. When you are brave, you already have all three. You are already enough.
Thank you for being part of Brave Month.
Thank you for showing up for Brave Kids.
And thank you for helping us prove again and again that bravery grows when we share it. It is one of those rare resources that multiplies the more we give it away.
Onward with Bravery!
John Otten
CEO and Co-Founder
Brave Like Me Foundation
