Father teaches his seven-year-old son to be proud of his ‘ugly' open-heart surgery scars

A loving father has helped his seven-year-old son, who suffers from a congenital heart defect, to view his surgery scars as beautiful marks of bravery by proudly sharing a photo of the boy's battle wounds online.

When Mark Gentle, from Farmington, Maine, found his son Carter sobbing because he thought that the scar from his fifth open-heart surgery - an emergency procedure to repair his pacemaker - was 'ugly', the concerned dad posted a snapshot of the little boy's chest to his Facebook account in the hopes of generating some wider support and, in turn boost Carter's confidence.

'We told him that his scars are beautiful and make him look like a superhero. How many likes can Carter get for his bravery?' Mark wrote alongside the picture, which has received nearly 1.5 million likes since it was posted on April 11. 

Mark, who only expected likes and comments from his Facebook friends, told Today that he and his wife Sarah were amazed when the photo received 200,000 likes in the first day.

The overwhelming response prompted Mark to turn up the volume on his cell phone and remind Carter that every beep he heard should serve as a sign that someone was supporting his bravery.

'He would look at me with these big eyes each time and say, "Dad, is that for me again?"' Mark said. 'It's been a huge confidence booster and it has been therapeutic for Carter.'

Mark explained that when his son first removed his bandages 'he went down to the bathroom to look in the mirror and he just started sobbing'. 

'He said, “People are going to think I'm ugly. My scars look horrible,"' he recalled. ‘As a parent, it just tears your heart out. As much as that kid's been through, the last thing I ever want him to worry about is scars.'

Mark told Carter that 'his scars are what makes him, him', while explaining there are a lot of people who have them.

And thanks to his dad, Carter is seeing his scars in a new light - especially after thousands of commenters have written him words of support, while others have shared photos of their own scars.

'Don't worry buddy scars are pretty cool and chicks will dig them. 'You are not ugly. You are a very handsome little man,' wrote Jessyka Champaigne, who also posted a snapshot of one of her own battle wounds. 

She continued: 'Keep your head up. I've had 12 surgeries and counting, this one is my biggest scar (goes down my back) [and I] wear it proudly. You're tough.'

Another woman added: 'I have MANY scars from a horrible accident. They show the world how strong and brave you are, so I am proud of them. I wear them with pride. We can overcome anything.’

Meanwhile, someone else commented: 'You do look like a superhero!'

'His scars are what makes him, him,' Carter's dad noted. 'They show everybody what he's overcome and that he was stronger than the disease that tried to kill him.'

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