WASHINGTON — This story goes out to all the girl dads out there. We know you'll do anything for your little girl, no matter how old they are.
That's especially true for Matt Backe. He recently got a tattoo of a zipper scar on his chest. That's because his 4-year-old daughter, Everly, has had multiple open-heart surgeries, and her lingering scar inspired Matt to get one of his own.
Matt said he didn't want his daughter to feel different or self-conscious, and the Backe family will go through anything together.
"Some years down the road, we'll be at the beach or the pool or whatever, and if she's feeling shy or whatever the case may be, we'll be buddies and we'll go through it together," Matt said.
Everly's mom, Lauren, said her daughter faces challenges, but she's used to them.
"She's fatigued, she doesn't have as much energy as your average 4-year-old, but that's her norm. She doesn't know any different," she said.
Everly was born with a rare congenital heart defect that will require more surgeries, but the little girl doesn't let it get her down.
"You know what hearts mean," she asks, "Love."
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