Bake sale to raise money for Great Scott's Bakery owner as he recovers from surgery

BRUNSWICK HILLS TWP. — Local bakers are coming together to raise money for Scott Totten, the owner of Great Scott's Bakery, as he recovers from heart surgery. Heather Sohar has been a family friend of Totten and his wife for about 20 years and worked part time at his bakery on and off for six years. Totten brought Great Scott's Bakery to Brunswick Hills about six years ago, Sohar said. She described him as someone who is a hard worker with a great sense of humor, who loves to take care of his clients. "He'll be making something, and then he'll be like, 'Hey, we should try this.' Then all of a sudden, something great is born," she said. "He's super. He's one of the most intelligent people I've ever met in my life." Totten's health issues arose because his pericardium, which is the sac surrounding his heart, calcified, Sohar said. As a result, Totten's heart was working at a much lower capacity. "They told him he had months to live, if that," she said. "They'd never seen somebody with that intense amount of calcification around their heart." Surgery was needed as soon as possible, Sohar said. A surgeon from Europe came to University Hospitals to do the surgery for him in June. "They said the surgeon himself said that it was the worst-case scenario of calcification he had ever seen," she said. "It's amazing that he survived that, and that his cardiologist recognized what it was, that they were able to line up the correct surgeon and that he made it through the surgery." Totten's recovery time is estimated to be around four to six months. Sohar said Great Scott's Bakery had to shut down as he recovers. "A bunch of amazing bakeries in the area caught wind and were like, 'what can we do to help?'" she said. "We decided to have a bake sale where we support and promote everyone's business for the good of someone else." A bake sale comprising goods from a variety of bakeries, restaurants and individuals will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Aug. 10 at Great Scott's Bakery at 5286 Center Road, and proceeds from the event will benefit Totten. Sohar said if there are any extras, they will be donated to organizations like Hope Recovery Community or Cups Café. "People are so generous, especially in a time of need," she said. "It just is so endearing to me that local bakers who would be his competition put down their aprons and are like, what can we do to help?" Those who are interested in making a cash or check donation will also be able to do so during the event, Sohar said. To donate to his GoFundMe, visit tinyurl.com/zefztk84. "I've seen him demonstrate a gracious way of living, even when the funds weren't always there," she said. "That's what I believe too, is if you give, you'll receive when it's your time." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.