Bringing care to Badgerland

1/13/2026

12 LCC K-9 Comfort Dog teams from 3 states serve at elementary, middle, and high schools after principal’s death

Few people impact a community the way Brookwood Elementary School Principal Luke Braden did.

First, as a physical education teacher at Brookwood Middle School in Genoa City. Then at neighboring Wilmot Union High School as varsity volleyball coach. Then as associate principal. Next came a return to Genoa City as the principal of Brookwood Elementary, where he served since 2017.

His family has lived in the community for more than 20 years, where their four children now attend Badger High School and Brookwood Middle School.

So when Principal Braden passed away from a battle with cancer, the community was overcome with grief. “The weight of his death has been heavy on us all,” one colleague explained.

In response, LCC organized emergency site visits to all three Genoa City schools this week. All three were impacted — Brookwood Elementary where Principal Braden taught, Brookwood Middle where his youngest son attends, and Badger High School where his oldest three children go.

In all, twelve LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Teams from Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin arrived to be a comforting, peaceful presence over two days as students, teachers, and school workers needed moments to mourn, grieve, and rest in quiet stillness. As LCC handlers and ministry partners interacted with them, it became clear that the heaviness of Principal Braden’s passing wasn’t the only emotional need.

On Monday and Tuesday, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Bethesda (St. Matthew Hawthorn Woods, IL), Gethsemane (Lord of Glory Grayslake, IL), Michael (LCC Staff), Shadrach (Prince of Peace Palatine, IL), and Tobias (Lord of Glory Grayslake, IL) visited Brookwood Elementary where Luke Braden was principal.

Principal Braden’s habit of sharing dad jokes was on the mind of staff members. One shared how much she’ll miss hearing them during morning announcements. “She gave him a calendar of dad jokes for Christmas and was overcome with grief when thinking that he didn’t make it through that calendar,” a handler for Gethsemane shared.

Another staff member recalled that Principal Braden once dressed as Elf on the Shelf and sat upon the school roof to wave at students. “He loved the students that much and fully embraced his role as an elementary school principal,” she said.

“I personally was overwhelmed by the number of people who approached with a smile on their face but quickly began crying when they hugged Gethsemane,” her handler recalled. “A couple of teachers continued to come back to her throughout the day. I think the dogs had a profound impact on a community grieving the loss of a treasured man.”

A handler for Bethesda agreed. “I felt for all the students that were obviously very upset about Mr. Braden’s passing, but it felt so much better watching them be transformed during the interaction and leaving with smiles on their faces!”

Comfort Dog handlers at Brookwood Middle School observed the same.

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Eunice (LCC Staff), Grace (LCC Staff), Jael (Trinity Hobart, IN), and Samson (Zion Marengo, IL) brought their wagging tails and soft fur on Monday, while Charity (Brookfield Brookfield, WI) and Mary (St. Paul Janesville, WI) came to the school on Tuesday.

They found a campus community who loved Mr. Braden when he was their principal years earlier and was a father to one of their own. The Bradens youngest child attends Brookwood Middle.

“[Mr. Braden] was a special man!” one of Samson’s handlers said. “The middle school staff and 6th graders especially held him in very high regard. We were honored to be there to support them.”
On its Facebook page, Genoa City Schools recognized that the four-legged visitors had arranged the visits on “very short notice” and “their gentle interactions provided moments of peace, reassurance, and connection — often when words were difficult to find.”

At Badger High School, where the three oldest Braden children attend, it was finals week, and the weight of Mr. Braden’s passing was heavy.

But the presence of LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs Charity (Brookfield Brookfield, WI), Mary (St. Paul Janesville, WI), and Samaria (Shepherd of the Hills Greenville, WI) was a welcome relief, even fueling emotions that had been pent up.

“Even though we were there for [Principal Braden] who had passed, we met a boy who broke down for other reasons,” one of Mary’s handlers shared. “He had spent time with the counselor. I think Mary helped him open up and grieve. Kids have such a heavy burden when those who are supposed to love them are not there.”

Allison Braden bonded with Samaria, her handler said. “Samaria would put her head on the girl’s shoulder. When she was touching Samaria on each side below her ears, they just stared at each other. [Samaria] has an awesome awareness of need.”

On Facebook, Badger High School expressed its thanks, acknowledging the comforting presence during a time of crisis, loss, and stress.

Luke Braden was a Badger through and through. Growing up in Genoa City, WI, he graduated Badger High School before attending University of Wisconsin-Madison as a Wisconsin Badger. His education career began back in Genoa City as a physical education teacher at Brookwood Middle School before he moved over to neighboring Wilmot Union High School, where he served as varsity volleyball coach and associate principal. During this time, he earned a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from Aurora University. Mr. Braden also earned licenses in School Administration and Director of Curriculum and Instruction. Since 2017, he had led Brookwood Elementary as principal.