Four year-old Everly Backe underwent her first open heart surgery just three days after she was born to address a rare congenital heart defect. In her four years of life, she has undergone eight medical procedures that have left her with scars all over her body. Her family calls one of them her “zipper” scar. Everly’s Dad, Matt Backe, never wanted a tattoo until now. He feels getting an identical “scar” tattooed over his heart will help Everly feel like she’s not alone and be more comfortable with her scar. “If she becomes self-conscious about it, I can be right next to her and say, the heck with it! Look at us, we both got our zippers,” he said. When asked why her dad got a tattoo that matches her scar, Everly said, “Because he wanted to be special like me.”

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