Dad Shares Support for Son’s Health Condition With Viral Selfie

Robert Selby recently used Instagram to share a selfie with his son, Chace, but it wasn’t just any ordinary selfie — Selby used the snap to share his support for his son’s health condition, and the adorable moment has since gone viral for the sweetest reason.

“My son is sucking in his stomach, trying to show off his abs like his daddy but all you see are his little ribs,” Selby captioned the shot, in which the pair pose shirtless in the mirror.

“I just cut and glued one of his G-tube on me to show support for him. He has a congenital heart defect and he uses a feeding tube. But as long as I’m breathing he’ll never be in a fight alone,” Selby continued.

MORE: Dad Sparks Conversation About Parental Roles After Stating He’s ‘Not A Babysitter’

The 33-year-old dad told TODAY he takes the same photo every year to document his son’s progress. Chace has undergone two open-heart surgeries after being diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, a rare congenital heart condition caused by a combination of different heart defects at birth.

“This was actually a picture from a year ago,” Selby explained. “I did this same photo every year from when he was 6 months old, way back. Last year, he asked me, ‘Why do I have a G-tube?’ and I told him it’s because he’s so strong, because he’s Superman. He’s Super Chace. I told him he’s stronger than Daddy, and he said, ‘But you’re Super Dad,’ so I said OK, and I put a G-tube on me, too.”

Chace uses his feeding tube to make sure he gets enough calories each day, but Selby wants his son to know that his condition won’t hold him back from anything.

“He doesn’t know about his condition because I don’t treat him like he has a condition,” Selby explained. “I tell him he can do anything anybody else can do. Sports, gymnastics, anything. I tell him to never say you can’t.”

Photo Credit: Instagram / @thelifeofchaceelijah

Related:

Dad Shamers Attack Tarek El Moussa Over Relationship With His Daughter
Stepdad Weeps During 10-Year-Old’s Adoption Proposal and We Just Can’t
George Clooney Is Ready to Be a Dad in Hilarious Snap