On April 17, the Methodist Children’s Home Society (MCHS) Family of Services opened a unique space on their campus called “The Den.” Designed for the children they serve in their foster program, “The Den” is a tribute to Mikey Novak, a resident of MCHS’ Redford campus, who passed away in 2021 at age 13 from complications following a heart transplant.
Mikey began living at MCHS after experiencing severe abuse and neglect. While living at MCHS, he was diagnosed with a serious heart condition at age 12. Despite being dealt a devastating hand in life, those who cared for Mikey were in awe of the remarkable warmth he exuded on a daily basis.
The Special Friendship That Led to “The Den”
One of the people who cared for Mikey was Dr. John Dentel. At the time he met the boy, Dentel was a cardiologist at DMC Children’s Hospital. He quickly developed a close bond with Mikey, who enjoyed giving fun nicknames to people in his life. Dentel soon became known as “The Bear,” and Mikey was known as “The Cub.” These nicknames were what inspired the name of “The Den,” a safe space filled with fun games and comfy furniture. The room contains a gaming area with a PlayStation 5 and an Xbox Series X, foosball and air hockey tables, large beanbag chairs, laptop stations, banners of local sports teams, and more.
“A Den is a place of safety, a place to rest, a place to heal, a place to grow, a place where you can just be, and maybe come out a little bit stronger,” said Dentel during a presentation before “The Den’s” ribbon cutting event. Dentel has contributed to MCHS in Mikey’s name for the past several years. Since Fall 2025, he’s been working with MCHS staff to create a larger tribute to Mikey and his loving spirit.
“ … The vision of MCHS is to build a community where every child and family has a safer, brighter future. That’s exactly what this play space might be. And now, in a really meaningful way, Mikey gets to give back. ‘The Den’ will be a place for kids to gather, relax, build friendships, and just be kids.”
What “The Den” Represents
Walking around “The Den” following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the space is clearly a reflection of the shared love between “The Bear” and “The Cub.” The room also represents Mikey’s expressed desire to help the children living at MCHS.
Speaking with Hour Detroit, Dentel shared a specific exchange he and Mikey had.
“One day, he said, ‘Hey, John…someday, when I have money, I want to go back to MCHS, and I want to take the kids to a baseball game or a hockey game,” said Dentel. “This kid had all these bad things happen to him, [yet he] has love in his heart…I think the kids that come in here with a lot of pain in their life, if they know Mikey’s story, they’ll know that this is a safe place. This campus is a safe place. This room is a safe place for laughter and joking and a little chaos. That’s what kids are supposed to do.”
MCHS Family of Services President and CEO Kevin Roach echoed Dentel. He shared with Hour Detroit, “I was always struck by Mikey’s courage. Despite what he had gone through and despite the odds that he faced, the courage that he had to still laugh, to still smile, to build those relationships, to play a few jokes [with caregivers.]”
Mikey affectionately referred to Roach as “The Boss.” Roach recognized his nickname was Mikey’s way of showing how he earned this child’s trust. He also recognized how adults can learn from the courage of Mikey.
“A little bit of courage goes a long way,” said Roach. “Sometimes we find it in the most unexpected places.”
To learn more about the work of MCHS Family of Services, visit mchsmi.org. If you’re interested in donating items to “The Den,” email stephanieh@mchsmi.org.
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