MONROE — A Brodhead family made a laughter-filled second appearance on America’s Funniest Home Videos Sunday night, took home $20,000; and got a free trip to Los Angeles for a taping of the show.

The appearance was the first of two the family logged from the same cell phone video of young Braxton Hertzner, now 2 and a half years old, interacting with his younger brother, nine-month-old Beckett. The kids’ dad, Logan Hertzner of Brodhead, narrates the clip and sent in the video of his younger son, getting into trouble with his baby brother. 

The clip shows the younger child’s head generously covered with black marker; and Braxton’s dad asks him what he’s done. The marked-up baby was shown after Hertzner pans his camera around the room, where there’s also a child-colored mother’s wallet, his own toys — and even a white wall with black marker all over it.

The family, including Julia, the mom, initially took home $20,000 and which qualified them for the $100,000 prize Sunday night.

“It was actually my mom and mother-in-law’s idea,” said Logan on Monday, a day after the second show aired. “They told me ‘You just have to send that in to America’s Funniest Videos’.”

For the second show, they were flown to Los Angeles for a studio taping in December, an experience Logan described as unforgettable.

“It was a fast weekend trip but it was still an amazing experience,” he said. “It was fun to see it on TV.”

For the first taping the family received a kit to do it from home — a computer, lighting, and other equipment. They spent time rearranging their home as a set for a show segment based on coaching given them by show producers.

Then, for Sunday’s grand-prize show, they were asked to bring the equipment with them to L.A. so that in case they didn’t make it through all of the COVID-19 testing protocols, the show could still go on — and be taped from their hotel. Thankfully, said Logan, they were able to go and experience being in a real television show. And he said it was fun having friends and co-workers comment on it.

“It’s an experience we will never forget,” said the young father, who works as a Salesman at Baker Manufacturing. “I can’t wait until my kids get older to show them the video of everything that happened. Something like that is great to have.”

Logan said he wasn’t disappointed at not winning the $100,000; and with a growing young family, the $20,000 the video earned will come in handy. 

The Hertnzer’s video can be viewed by clicking on the show winners tab on the AFV.com website.