8-year-old patient who has spent time in Duke Hospital pays it forward

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- A really inspiring story from a little boy -- who's faced more medical challenges at 8 years old than most people do in a lifetime.

He's now on a mission to bring smiles to other children at Duke Children's Hospital.

Branson Whitaker is from Ramseur -- just outside of Asheboro. He and his mom delivered bags full of toys, games, and stuffed animals on Friday to fill the hospital's treasure box.

Branson has had 'three' open heart surgeries at Duke since he was a baby to treat a rare congenital heart condition.

During one of his hospital stays, he noticed the box of toys was running low. So, Branson launched a fundraiser to fill the treasure box with new toys for other kids to enjoy.

"I hope that they'll play with them and appreciate them," said Branson.

"We wanted to give back because we saw how happy it made Branson to pick from the toy box, and we noticed there wasn't a lot in there, so we wanted to fill it up for them. The team at Duke Children's says these toys are a motivation for the kids." Leah Helton, Branson's mom.

They get to choose a toy when they reach a milestone in their recovery, turning tough moments into celebrations.

Thanks to the care he received at Duke, Branson is now doing well and paying it forward, one toy at a time.