After surviving open heart surgery at just three months old, little baby Joey Powling has become an internet sensation. INSIDE EDITION talks to the family.
He's the baby known around the world as "ridiculously good-looking surgery baby." Three-month-old Joey Powling is a sensation after this picture of him was posted online showing off a surgical scar that stretches from chest to belly button.
Joey and his parents, Sarah and Joe Senior, stopped by INSIDE EDITION's studio, and he is one chilled-out kid. You'd never guess that he had open heart surgery just two weeks ago.
Joey was born with a hole in his heart and underwent a three hour life-saving procedure that left him with that six-inch scar. Mom took that now infamous picture for Joey's baby album.
INSIDE EDITION's Megan Alexander asked, "When you saw the scar, what were you thinking?"
"I was nervous, but he kept smiling," said Joe.
Joey's uncle was so impressed, he posted the picture online with the caption: "Chicks dig scars, right?"
Before long, the picture had almost a million hits and even inspired some pretty funny captions, such as:
"Baby Bruce Willis"
"'Tis but a flesh wound."
And our favorite:
"Ridiculously good-looking surgery baby."
Alexander asked, "What did you guys make of all the attention?"
"Just getting that support from people we didn't even know," said Sarah.
Sarah and Joe say the reaction to the photo has helped them get through a stressful time. Baby Joey is not out of the woods yet. He will need close monitoring for the rest of his life, but we have a feeling this kid can handle just about anything.
