Infant had multiple surgeries that left huge scars—dad’s gesture of support is one that will bring tears to your eyes
A parent is considered to be their child’s biggest supporter no matter what life brings. Whether it’s success, failure, illness or anything else, a child receives a confident strength in knowing that his parents have his back. A dad named Eric Conklin (econks66) revealed he wanted to share this support for his son, Bennett Conklin. The little boy had been battling complications with his health ever since he was born. After having gone through seven surgeries that left a huge scar on his body, Eric decided to support his son with a powerful gesture and it’s a real tear-jerker.
Sharing in a previous post on Instagram, the dad revealed that Bennett was diagnosed with congenital heart defect. According to Cleveland Clinic, this condition affects 1% of U.S. births per year. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a condition from birth that affects the functioning of the heart. There are various types, varying in intensity but all affect blood flow from the heart and thereby affect functioning. Bennett spent 11 days in the NICU and 40 days in the Pediatric Cardiac ICU. The dad also mentioned that the infant had collapsed lungs, received CPR and spent a few days on life support.
One can’t imagine the toll it took on the little boy and his parents. Amid it all, they stuck by his side, being his pillars of strength. “It has been the longest road that either of us could imagine to get to this point and we know that we still have a lot ahead of us, but we are incredibly thankful,” the dad wrote in his post when they finally welcomed their boy home. The late nights and heartbreaking chaos also included surgeries and Bennett was left with a long scar across his chest, nearly covering three-fourths of his little body. Eric knew that this scar would not just take time to heal but would also be evidence of the family’s strength.
To show his continued support for his son, he got a tattoo that matched the scar. Sharing why it meant “more than anything” to him in another post, his reason moved many. “It matches the scar on my son’s chest. The one he’s carried since he was just a few days old, fighting for his life,” Eric began explaining. He added that the tattoo would be an assurance that his son was “never alone in this fight.” “His scar is his story of survival. Mine is a promise: whatever he carries, I’ll carry too,” he added. While the parents had their share of struggles, Eric noted how he admired his infant for braving through the procedures.
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The tattoo was a “tribute” to that. After his son, the dad’s heart went out to every other person suffering from conditions like Bennett's. He mentioned that his tattoo was also “a call for awareness of congenital heart defects. So many families quietly battle through this every day and I want everyone to know that we are not alone.” Calling his little boy his hero and sharing a glimpse of both of their scars, Eric wrote, “Now, we wear the same armor.” @ssantiago.007 said, “This made me cry, respect man, my prayers go out to you and your family.” @el_gary_v added, “This message is beautiful.” @katielafuentes, a mom to a child with the same condition as Bennett shared, “This brought me straight to tears. Your post is so beautiful and you are an amazing father!”
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You can follow Eric Conklin (@econks66) for more content on parenting and lifestyle.
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