As parents, we would do anything for our kids, and being strong is one of them.
Everly was born a fighter.
When Everly or Evie was born, she already had CHD or a congenital heart defect.
According to CDC:
“CHDs are present at birth and can affect the structure of a baby’s heart and the way it works. They can affect how blood flows through the heart and out to the rest of the body.”
At just three days old, Evie underwent her first open-heart surgery.
According to Lauren Backe, Evie’s mom, they learned about their baby’s condition when she was 33 weeks pregnant.
They had enough time to look for a hospital that would cater to them. After Evie was born, the little bundle of joy spent her first month in a specialized pediatric cardiology unit.
“She spent a lot of that first 13 months of her life in and out of the hospital,” Lauren said in her interview with Good Morning America. “But we were grateful that they taught us so much that we could also be at home.”
Evie’s family calls her scar a ‘zipper’ because the doctors would have to open and close it again to make her better.
As little Evie grows, she becomes more aware of her condition and her ‘zipper’ that is why her dad, Matte Backe, decided to do something for his little sunshine.
His idea was to become his daughter’s zipper buddy.
“I heard Evie make mention about the zipper, just asking more questions than usual,” he told GMA. “My thought was if I could get something that was a replica of it, we could be zipper buddies and she would not have that feeling of being alone.”
According to Matt, he was able to find a good tattoo artist who replicated Evie’s scar on his chest.
“He didn’t want me to be alone. He wanted to be special like me,” Evie said when asked about her father’s tattoo.
Evie’s big brother, Jack, who’s 10, proudly told the interviewers that when he turns 18, he will be getting the same tattoo.
Touched by her husband’s surprise for Evie, Lauren also thought of getting a tattoo for herself.
She did, and she got a tattoo of EKG lines.
The beautiful minimalist tattoo shows a heart rate. Lauren’s tattoo is on her forearm near her children’s initials.
Now at 4, little Evie is just like any other kid. She loves her dance classes, and she goes to preschool. She loves to play, and she also loves to explore.
Because of her condition, Evie gets tired easily.
Evie’s parents have already explained her situation and told her that she will need future surgeries where her ‘zipper’ would be opened again.
Even if Evie is just a little girl, she knows her condition and is ready to face her treatment.
“Our hope for Evie is that she gets to live the life she wants to live,” said Lauren Backe smiling. “Evie wants to be a mommy. That’s what she wants to be when she grows up, so I hope that Evie’s heart will be strong enough for her to be a mommy.”
We know she would. Evie is a strong little princess.
Watch the full interview of Evie and her supportive and loving family here.
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